JUL  11  1346    . 


ANNA    CLAYTON; 


&Iij  |iipim  tiUtv  £tutji. 


KEY.  FRANCIS  MARION  ImtMICK,  A.M. 


But  the  truth  and  sell  it  kot:  also  wisdom  and  instruction,  and 
understanding.  —  the  lord  will  not  suffer  the  soul  of  the  righteous 
TO  FAMISH.  —  King  Solomon. 


PHILADELPHIA : 

LIXDSAY    &    BLAKISTO^. 

1859. 


%OQO 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1859,  by 

LINDSAY   &  BLAKISTON, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Eastern  District 
of  Pennsylvania. 

STEREOTYPED   BY  J.  FAGAN PRINTED  BY  C.  SHERMAN   &  SON. 


^flobci)    parents. 


Both  gratitude  and  filial  affection  prompt  the  dedica- 
tion of  this  volume  to  you.  Your  kindness  and  watchful 
care  over  your  children  should  meet  with  some  return. 
Your  self-denying  labors  in  their  infancy,  your  Christian 
instructions  and  admonitions  in  their  childhood,  the  ex- 
pressions of  your  deep  solicitude  and  anxieties  for  their 
temporal  and  eternal  interests  in  maturer  years,  can  be 
but  feebly  repaid  by  the  most  dutiful  of  children.  May 
God  in  his  infinite  goodness  grant  you,  both,  a  full  resto- 
ration to  health  and  strength,  and  that  the  remainder  of 
your  pilgrimage  below  may  be  happy  and  joyous;  and 
that  your  decline  of  life  may  be  blessed  with  ever-in- 
creasing foretastes  of  eternal  bliss. 

"Sweet  is  the  image  of  the  brooding  dove! 
Holy  as  heaven  a  parent's  tender  love! 
The  love  of  many  prayers,  and  many  tears, 
"Which  changes  not  with  dim  declining  years." 


(hi) 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/annaclaytonorinqOOdimm 


PREFACE. 


The  arguments  contained  in  this  work,  were  mainly  presented 
in  a  aeries  of  letters  to  a  sister  —  Mrs.  Djantha  Dimmick 
REYNOLDS — who  was  then  unsettled  on  the  subject  herein  dis- 
cussed, and  was  seeking  to  know  the  Bible  truth  of  the  matter. 

She  was  flooded  with  Baptist  documents,  but  was  unwilling 
to  endorse  their  views  until  she  had  carefully  and  intelligently 
investigated  the  whole  subject.  She  requested  me  to  come  to 
her  assistance  in  meeting  and  examining  the  arguments  and  doc- 
trines laid  before  her.  My  studies  occupied  nearly  the  whole 
of  my  time ;  but  a  sister's  call  is  never  to  be  allowed  to  pass 
unheeded,  and  especially  when  matters  of  eternal  interests  are 
pending. 

By  the  arguments  presented  to  her,  and  by  suggestions  as  to 
the  proper  study  of  the  Bible  in  determining  its  teachings  and 
doctrines,  she  was  led  to  see,  as  she  believed,  the  errors,  false 
statements,  and  illogical  reasonings  of  our  Baptist  brethren. 
My  sister  felt  the  need  of  a. popular  treatment  of  this  subject 
in  her  own  case ;  and  having  passed  through  the  ordeal,  could 
judge  pretty  correctly  what  kind  of  a  work  seemed  to  be  de- 
manded by  the  great  mass  of  the  Christian  church,  and  by 
those  seeking  to  gain  entrance  to  it.  By  her  aid  in  popularizing 
the  arguments,  they  are  now  presented  to  the  kind  attentions 
and  regards  of  a  Christian  public. 

1*  (v) 


VI  PREFACE. 

There  is  no  work,  to  my  knowledge,  of  the  kind,  covering 
the  whole  subject,  and  presenting  the  Pedobaptist  side  of  the 
controversy.  But  our  Baptist  brethren  have  no  less  than  two 
or  three  very  popular  ones  in  the  field ;  which  have  made  hun- 
dreds, and  perhaps  thousands,  of  proselytes  to  their  peculiar 
belief;  and  shaken  the  faith  of  many  others,  who  thought  them- 
selves established  and  grounded  in  the  doctrine  of  Pedobaptism. 
They  have  even  drawn  them  from  the  very  ranks  of  Pedobap- 
tist churches  to  swell  the  numbers  of  their  own.  A  work, 
then,  acting  as  an  antidote  to  these;  meeting  them  upon  their 
own  ground  j  pointing  out  their  fallacies,  errors,  mis-statements, 
and  false  assertions,  seems  to  be  greatly  needed  and  demanded 
by  the  great  branches  of  the  Christian  church. 

And,  further,  it  is  hoped,  that  this  work  may,  in  some  degree, 
turn  the  attention  of  Christians,  and  especially  of  teachers  in 
the  church,  to  the  great  sinfulness,  and  to  the  un-Christlike 
spirit  they  exhibit  in  the  bitter  feelings  they  engender,  and  the 
enmity  they  beget,  between  brethren  in  Christ,  in  their  secta- 
rian zeal  of  proselyting. 

Knowing  that  God  often  chooses  to  work  by  humble  instru- 
mentalities, and  to  make  use  of  the  weak  things  of  this  world 
to  confound  the  wise  and  mighty;  therefore,  that  the  cause  of 
truth  may  be  advanced,  and  the  glory  of  God  promoted  by  the 
prevalence  of  the  pure  doctrines  of  his  word ;  that  the  hearts 
of  all  Christians  may  flow  together  in  the  great  work  of  saving 
souls ;  and  that  there  may  be  a  unanimity  of  purpose  and  action 
in  the  worship  of  God,  and  in  the  upbuilding  of  his  kingdom, 
this  little  volume  is  sent  forth  into  the  world  to  exert  its  feeble 
influence,  and  to  await  the  result. 

F.  M.  D. 

Lane  Seminary,  April  12,  1859. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

PAGE 

Noontide  on  a  midsummer  day  —  Clayton  Family  —  The  subject  of 
Baptism  brought  forward  —  The  ground  surveyed  —  Positions 
assumed — Father  Longwind  arrives — Trouble  anticipated — The 
World  glanced  at  and  commiserated — The  field  and  harvest  — 
George  and  Anna — Private  interview — Halley  announced  13 


CHAPTER    II. 

A  morning  in  June  —  Anna  feels  her  loneliness  and  calls  for  her 
sainted  mother — Her  resolve —  Father  Longwind  broaches  the 
subject  to  Anna,  and  is  surprised  at  her  ready  answers  —  He 
beats  a  retreat — Anna's  Meditation  on  the  Distractions  of  the 
Christian  Church,  and  prays  for  Unity 26 


CHAPTER   III. 

Difficulties  met — The  plan  of  investigation  settled  upon — The  New 
Testament  use  of  the  word  /Ja™^  sought  after  —  Its  Spiritual 
import  shown  —  Its  Typical  nature  looked  into  —  Consistency  in 

the  Word  of  God 37 

(vii) 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   IV. 


"Baptism  of  Suffering"  inquired  after — The  manner  of  the  Spirit 
Baptism  considered  —  The  Baptism  with  -which  Christ  -was  to  be 
baptized  —  Baptism  found  to  symbolize  Spiritual  purification  — 
Father  Longwind  returns  with  Elder  Burton  —  Some  questions 
considered 51 


CHAPTER   V. 

Widow  Giles  —  Her  troubles  —  Her  kindness  to  Anna  —  A  visit  — 
A  surprise — Anna's  real  mother — Baim?&>  still  considered — Hel- 
lenistic Greek — The  growth  of  Language,  and  the  change  of  the 
signification  of  words — Witness  called — The  Itala  and  the  Peshitc 
versions  of  the  New  Testament — Our  own  version  a  good  witness 
— New  words  found  in  the  New  Testament  Greek,  and  new  mean- 
ings to  old  ones  —  The  same  in  our  language  —  The  use  of  the 
word  0a7m^(o  determined  and  settled — The  Jewish  modes  of  puri- 
fying considered — The  Greek  prepositioes  h,  sf$,  and  dn6  —  The 
law  governing  translators  —  Perfect  harmony  and  consistency  in 
the  Bible,  if  properly  studied 65 


CHAPTER   VI. 

Elder  Clayton's  mind  unsettled — Interview  with  Brother  Burton — 
A  plan  devised — A  charge  made;  the  thrust  parried — An  unex- 
pected Competitor — Halley  takes  up  the  gauntlet  thrown  at 
Anna  —  Water  Baptism  no  symbol  of  the  Death  and  Burial  of 
Christ — Custom  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans  with  respect  to  their 
dead — Christ  and  the  Believer — Water  Baptism  the  shadow,  and 
Spirit  Baptism  the  substance — The  analogical  argument:  taking 
immersionists  upon  their  own  ground  and  showing  the  absurdity 
and  inconsistency  of  their  position  —  A  defeat  inevitable ;  a  re- 
treat ordered;  a  flight  ensues  —  The  outward  act  wholly  sub- 
ordinate :  illustration — The  impracticability  of  immersion  on  all 
occasions :  it  does  not  harmonize  with  the  other  ordinance,  and 
with  the  spirit  and  teachings  of  the  Bible  —  The  onus  probandi 


CONTENTS.  IX 

thrown  upon  the  Baptists  —  The  Lord*s  Supper  ami  its  abuse  in 
Paul's  time  —  An  unexpected  but  unavoidable  inference  —  The 
essence  of  all  God"s  commands  spiritual — Tendency  of  formalism 
—  A  summing  up  of  the  evidences  —  One  Churchism 99 


CHAPTER   VII. 

The  Warning — The  struggle  and  resolve — The  lying  in  wait — Anna 
visits  Widow  Giles  —  The  darkness  gathers  —  A  new  advocate  — 
The  field  carefully  surveyed — Unexpected  conclusions  for  a  new 
inquirer — The  difficult  questions  solving  themselves — The  proper 
view  of  the  ordinance  of  Baptism 134 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  trap  sprung  —  The  biter  bit  —  The  intended  victim  escapes  — 
Unity  was  our  Savior's  prayer — Close  Communion  deprecated — 
Its  reasons  searched  for  in  vain — The  Sabbath  and  Communion 
— A  new  Shepherd  looking  after  the  flock — Love  is  the  fulfilling 
of  the  law — The  sky  darkens — Interview:  Anna  and  her  foster 
father  —  Close  Communion  discountenanced — Smith  family — A 
church  —  Sudden  appearance  of  Brother  Burton  and  Mother 
Clayton — A  storm — The  pastor  wanders,  and  the  flock  follows — 
Brother  Burton  seeks  different  and  more  congenial  quarters  — 
The  sky  clears,  and  nature  smiles  again 161 


CHAPTER    IX. 

The  Widow's  bud  of  promise  blighted  —  Squire  Tanner  introduced 
—  The  di-cu-sions  opened — The  kind  of  evidences  considered  — 
The  demand  for  positive  proof  shown  to  be  absurd — Illustrated — 
Man  no  right  to  prescribe  God  —  Moral  evidences  the  guide  of 
life — Should  be  satisfied  with  just  such  kind  of  evidences  as  God 
sees  proper  to  give  —  The  great  Commission  —  Its  application 
shown  —  An  undesirable  conclusion  even  for  Baptists  deduced 
from  their  own  arguments  —  The  relation  of  Children  to  the 
Church — Objections  to  Infant  Baptism  removed — The  Covenant 


CONTENTS. 

of  Grace — The  Church  founded  in  the  family  of  Abraham  —  No 
new  Church  established — Baptism  long  practised  by  the  Jews — 
The  Abrahamic  church  organization  recognized,  and  its  promises 
confirmed  by  Christ  and  the  Apostles  —  The  Baptist  position  in- 
compatible with  Paul's  teachings  and  expositions — The  Covenant 
evei-lasting —  The  advantages  accruing  —  Children  and  Parents 
indissolubly  connected — God's  Covenant  has  never  been  changed 
or  abrogated — The  onus  probandi  where  ? — The  ground  reviewed 
in  the  light  of  the  New  Testament  teachings — Mr.  Graves  on  trial 
and  convicted 192 


CHAPTER   X. 

The  establishing  of  a  new  Church  looked  after  in  vain — The  mission 
of  Christ — Circumcision  and  Baptism  compared — Severe  charges 
where  to  be  applied — Were  infants  excluded  from  church  juris- 
diction among  the  Jewish  Christians  in  the  time  of  the  Apostles? 
—  The  absurdity  of  the  position  of  those  who  exclude  them  — 
Peter  and  Paul  included  them — Some  conclusions — Drs.  Edwards, 
Woods,  and  Lightfoot  —  "The  kingdom  of  heaven  belongs  to 
children"  —  The  Great  Head  of  the  Church  recognizes  them  — 
The  Obligation  resting  on  parents:  if  faithful,  the  result — In- 
fluence of  the  mother — The  Children  of  believing  parents  born 
members  of  Christ's  Church  —  1.  Cor.  vii.  14  examined  —  Illus- 
tration of  Baptist  arguments — The  term  "faithful" — The  Cata- 
combs of  Rome  and  their  testimony  —  Family  Baptisms  in  the 
New  Testament;  Children  only  included  —  o!ko(  and  oUia — Dr. 
Kurtz  and  Rev.  E.  Hall  —  Inference — A  Challenge — The  Evi- 
dence satisfactory 234 


CHAPTER    XI. 

Elder  Mason  introduced — Statements  of  Brother  Graves  considered 
— Coleman,  Neander,  and  Irena?us — Graves  and  Carson  virtually 
deny  Infant  Salvation — Justin  Martyr  and  Tertullian  interrogated 
—  Their  answers  do  harmonize  with  some  Baptist  statements 
made  of  them — Origen,  and  his  testimony — A  Challenge — Graves 
and  Pcngilly  ;  their  false  representations  of  the  views  of  Cran- 
mer,  Luther,  Calvin,  Pilgrim  Fathers,  Br.  Wall,  Bishop  Burnet, 


CONTENTS.  XI 

Richard  Baxter,  Dr.  Miller,  Dr.  Dwight,  and  Bishop  Taylor  — 
Unexpected  result — General  view — Cyprian,  Bishop  of  Carthage, 
and  his  council  of  divines  —  Optatus  and  Gregory  —  No  Baptist 
yet  found — Ambrose  and  Chrysostom — Augustine,  Pelagius,  and 
Celestius — 'What  had  become  of  the  Baptist  churches? — The  un- 
broken chain  of  historical  argument  —  Sweeping  assertions  con- 
sidered—  The  united  voice  of  early  church  history — Novatians 
and  Donatists  —  Inferential  —  Evidences  from  the  Catacombs  of 
Rome  and  from  the  Church  Fathers  harmonize  —  Questions  pro- 
pounded— Unaccountable  silence  —  Summing  up  —  Challenge  — 
One  hook  more  —  Elder  Clayton's  troublesome  thoughts  —  Great 
Iron  Wheel — Off  the  track — Reaction — The  foster  Mother — The 
real  position 292 


CHAPTER    XII. 

An  interested  audience  —  The  Baptist  claim  set  forth  by  Elder 
Mason  —  The  claim  inspected  and  pinned  down — The  river  of 
Baptist  ancestry  to  be  navigated — All  the  "'Regular"  boats  stop 
at  an  "  Independent  "  wharf  of  the  17th  century — Close  Com- 
munion thrown  overboard  to  reach  it,  even! — The  river  not 
navigable  farther — Elder  Mason  insists  that  all  "Baptists  are 
Baptists,"  and  resolves  on  an  overland  route  direct  to  the  Apos- 
tles through  the  Mennonites  and  Anabaptists  —  The  real  source 
of  Calvinistic  Baptists  settled — Dr.  Mosheim — The  Mennonites' 
temple  of  faith  examined  and  compared  with  that  of  the  Par- 
ticular Baptists  of  those  times — The  connection  between  Men- 
nonites and  Anabaptists  investigated — Origin  of  Anabaptists  and 
character  of  the  sect  —  Thomas  Munzer — Conflicting  testimony 
from  a  Baptist  author  —  The  expediency  of  having  two  sets  of 
arguments — Elder  Mason  retires  from  the  field  of  controversy — 
The  survey  still  continued  —  The  Waldenses  located  and  their 
antiquity  established — Their  doctrines  and  faith  determined — At 
the  Reformation  they  readily  united  with  the  Reformed  Pedo- 
baptist  churches — They  are,  and  always  have  been,  Pedobaptists 
— They  were  not  imraersionists — The  Petrobrusians  the  first  sect 
in  the  history  of  the  Church  which  practised  only  adult  baptism 
(1150) !  — The  Pedobaptist  chain  connected  and  welded  —  Albi- 
genses,  Paulicans,  Cathari  or  Puritans,  and  Paternines  —  Mr. 


Xli  CONTENTS. 

Graves' trials  in  establishing  his  "regular  Apostolical  succes- 
sion " — Retrospect  taken  in  summing  up — Non-essentials  should 
be  no  barrier  to  Christian  unity  and  love  —  The  prospect  —  The 
Christian  Parent 357 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

The  effects  of  the  controversy  showing  itself  in  the  hearers — Sub- 
discussions — The  general  feeling — The  farmer,  an  illustration — 
The  great  variety  of  mind  —  Father  Benjamine  —  The  Clayton 
kitchen,  and  Widow  Giles  —  Elder  Clayton;  his  absent  brother: 
the  spirit  of  love  prevails  —  The  arbor  in  the  lower  garden ; 
Anna,  her  thoughts;  Halley;  the  Explanation — Anna  learns  her 
parentage  from  the  lips  of  her  own  brother  —  The  Sabbath  —  A 
Revival — An  Autumn  Sabbath — The  gathering  at  church — Union 
— A  Christian's  creed — A  familiar  face  in  the  pulpit — The  acces- 
sions to  the  church  —  Communion  —  An  interested  Spectator  — 
The  village  church-yard — Anna  meets  her  father  —  Sorrows  un- 
loosened by  tears  —  The  heavenly  atmosphere  —  The  father  and 
daughter — Unanimity  in  God's  family  proclaimed — The  effect  of 
divisions  —  God's  armory  for  his  servants — The  foster  father  — 
Where  the  difficulty  lies  —  Anna  drawing  a  contrast  —  Union 
prayer  meeting  —  Anna,  and  her  brother  Henry,  return  with 
their  father  —  The  ultimate  effect  of  unity  and  love  among 
Christians , 395 


ANNA  CLAYTON; 

OR, 

THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH. 


CHAPTER  I. 


"Green  fields  and  silent  glens!     We  come 
To  spend  this  summer  day  with  you." 


NOONTIME  in  a  farmer's  house,  on  a  sultry  summer  day,  is  a 
picture  all  are  familiar  with.  Windows  and  doors  are  thrown 
open  to  their  utmost  capacity  to  admit  any  passing  puff  of  wind 
which  may  chance  to  stray  that  way ;  and  the  various  members 
of  the  household  who  have  turned  away  with  sated  appetites 
from  the  well-spread  board,  lounge  here  and  there,  as  inclina- 
tion may  dictate — upon  the  chairs  or  floor — within  the  balcony 
— or  on  the  green  grass  beneath  the  shielding  branches  of  some 
neighboring  tree,  enjoying  an  hour  of  unbroken  stillness  and 
repose. 

In  Nature's  vast  domain  of  forest  and  field,  there  is  a  depth 
of  stillness  only  ecpialled  by  the  noon  of  night.  The  cattle 
2  (13) 


14  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

have  left  their  grazing  in  the  open  field,  and  sought  the  bab- 
bling brook  and  the  overhanging  tree.  The  birds,  which  awoke 
a  chorus  of  melody  in  the  orchards  and  meadows,  when  the 
day  was  cool  and  fresh,  have  now  sought  the  deep  wood,  and 
underneath  the  dense  foliage  are  dreaming  bird  dreams.  Every- 
thing is  at  rest.  Even  the  white  clouds,  which  hang  up  against 
the  blue  of  heaven,  seem  motionless  and  changeless  as  the  eter- 
nal hills  beneath  them. 

And  at  this  hour  in  an  arm-chair  with  his  feet  elevated  to  the 
window-sill,  sits  Elder  Clayton — the  senior  member  of  the  Clay- 
ton family.  He  is  evidently  thinking,  not  of  the  fields  on 
which  his  eyes  are  resting,  although  they  seem  to  linger  there 
with  the  pride  of  ownership;  but  evidently  of  another  field  of 
labor,  where  the  seed  is  the  word,  and  the  harvest  the  souls  of 
men.  He  is  a  strong-built,  muscular  man,  and  shows  the  marks 
of  toil  in  the  natural  as  well  as  the  spiritual  field.  He  wears 
an  honest  broad  face,  and  a  kindly  smile. 

Near  him  sits  a  fair  young  girl,  with  a  broad,  full  brow,  and 
deep,  thoughtful  eyes.  Her  pervading  air  is  one  of  quiet  dig- 
nity and  calm  repose.  She  is  reading  —  is  always  reading. 
She  is  called  Anna  Clayton,  though  her  real  name  is  Ella 
Forbes.  She  was  left  an  orphan,  when  a  small  child,  and  has 
lived  in  this  family,  shared  its  comforts  and  privileges,  as 
though  she  were  a  natural  heir. 

Almost  at  her  feet,  lying  upon  the  floor  with  Sporter  —  who, 
by  the  way,  is  a  large  Newfoundland  dog,  answering,  at  pre- 
sent, for  a  pillow  —  is  George;  a  young  man  of  twenty,  and  an 
only  child 

Nearly  behind  this  group  is  Mrs.  Clayton,  in  an  old  straight- 
backed  chair,  and  sits  as  straight  and  prim  as  the  chair  itself. 
She  is  the  only  one  of  the  family  who  never  finds  a  leisure 
hour,  and  at  this  moment  is  knitting  as  though  her  life  de- 
pended on  it.  She  has  a  compressed  mouth,  thin,  peaked  nose, 
and  sharp  eyes,  with  a  flash  in  them.     You  will  discover,  at  a 


T  11  K     1  N  Q  I    1  11  K  R     A  I'  T  E  R     T  RUTH.  1  f> 

glance,  that  Bhe  is  a  woman  of  an  indomitable  will,  and  capable 
of  strong  prejudices  and  bitter  animosities. 

"  What  is  it  you  are  reading?"  she  said,  glancing  over  her 
spectacles  in  her  must  impressive  manner.  "  What  is  it  you  are 
reading,  Anna '.' " 

The  truth  was,  she  knew  well  enough,  but  thought  it  a 
proper  time  to  evince  her  displeasure. 

•■  It  is  a  book  I  got  at  Uncle's,  the  other  day,"  she  replied. 
"  It  treats  of  the  different  kinds  of  denominational  faith,  under 
their  different  heads;  or,  rather,  it  is  an  exposition  of  them,  as 
prepared  by  their  most  eminent  men;  together  with  a  review, 
or  summing  up,  of  the  arguments  by  the  editor.  I  think  it  is 
very  interesting." 

"  What,  did  you  get  it  at  John's?  He  is  one  of  the  rankest 
kind  of  Methodists.  I  don't  believe  it's  fit  to  be  read,"  con- 
tinued Mrs.  Clayton. 

"  If  it 's  all  as  sound  Baptist  orthodoxy,"  said  George,  "  as 
that  which  Anna  and  I  were  reading,  last  night,  I  don't  think 
mother  Clayton  would  object  to  it.  How  is  it,  Anna?  Is  it 
sound  all  the  way  through  ? " 

"  It  treats  also  of  other  kinds  of  denominational  faith,"  she 
replied,  "  or  else  it  would  not  be  correctly  titled." 

"  Well,  yes,  of  course,"  continued  George ;  "  but  what  heresy 
does  it  inculcate  ?  That's  the  point  at  issue,  as  our  old  college 
Prof,  would  say." 

"  I'm  not  prepared  to  answer  such  a  question,"  she  replied, 
gravely ;  "  but  I  hope  to  know  sometime  why  these  differences 
distract  the  Christian  world." 

"  These  differences  are  very  sad,"  said  Elder  Clayton.  "  Of 
course  we  would  like  to  have  them  all  see  as  we  see.  But  if 
they  won't,  why  I'm  sure  it  is'nt  our  fault.  Yes,  my  children," 
he  continued,  looking  round  as  though  speaking  to  a  congre- 
gation, "no  one  laments  these  things  more  than  we  do;  they 
come  right  home  to  our  hearts.     We  would  be  glad  to  embrace 


10  AN  N  A    CLAYTON;    OE, 

in  the  arms  of  Christian  love  and  fellowship,  every  kindred, 
tongue,  and  people,  if  they  would  hut  come  in  the  proper 
manner,  and  in  the  gospel  order  of  things." 

"  Come  under  the  water,  I  suppose ;"  George  suggested, 
glancing  mischievously  at  Anna,  from  under  his  heavy  eye- 
lashes. 

"  George,  hav'nt  you  any  respect  for  sacred  things  V  ex- 
claimed his  mother,  sternly. 

"Why,  what  did  I  say?  Nothing  had,  was  it?  Somehow 
there  is  always  something  slipping  from  my  tongue  wrong  end 
first.  I  can  never  get  the  right  word  in  the  right  place.  Sis, 
hand  me  that  hook.  I'm  bound  to  do  something  for  my  coun- 
try yet.  I'll  blow  those  Pedos  up  so  high,  they  won't  come 
down  in  a  century  —  see  if  I  don't."  Thus  saying,  George 
took  the  book,  and  holding  it  off  at  arm's-length,  scrutinized  it 
closely  on  its  several  sides;  then  closely  shutting  his  eyes, 
opened  it  by  chance,  and  read  with  the  earnestness  of  a  school- 
boy conning  his  first  lesson  in  a  new  book. 

"  The  great  question  now  before  the  Christian  world,  and  the 
only  one  that  divides  it  in  fellowship  and  communion,  is  that 
of  Baptism.  On  one  side  it  is  maintained  that  the  only  proper 
way  of  administering  it,  is  by  the  immersion  of  believers  in 
water  on  the  profession  of  their  faith ;  and  on  the  other  hand, 
that  it  may  be,  and  is,  just  as  properly  administered  by  sprink- 
ling or  pouring,  as  by  immersion ;  and  that  the  children  of 
believers  are  included  in  the  privileges  of  the  rite.  The  de- 
fenders of  the  first  position,  generally  known  as  Baptists,  insist 
on  adhering  to  the  literal  meaning  of  the  Greek  word,  j3a.7tn£io, 
(baptizo),  and  consecpuently  maintain,  that  a  command  to  bap- 
tize, is  a  command  to  immerse. 

They  also  defend  their  practice,  from  the  phrase  "  Buried 
with  him  in  Baptism,"  and  from  the  early  custom  of  repairing 
to  rivers  to  administer  the  ordinance.  They  further  claim, 
with  the  greatest  assurance,  to  be  the  only  true  Church  of 
Christ. 


THE    I  X  Q  U  1  It  E  R    AFTER    TRUTH.  17 

On  the  other  hand,  those  known  as  Pedobaptists  declare  that 
flajrrtfw  (baptizo)  would  not  be  correctly  rendered  by  the  term 
immerse  ;  but  that  it  is  a  generic  term,  implying  only  the  rite 
of  baptism,  with  no  reference  whatever  to  the  mode.  That 
baptism  is  symbolic,  an  emblem  of  the  purifying  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  the  grand  and  leading  type  of  purifi- 
cation, instituted  by  Jehovah  himself,  is  sprinkling:  that  im- 
mersion can  no  where  be  found  in  the  Bible  as  an  ordinance, 
either  implied,  acknowledged,  sanctioned  or  commanded." 

'-That  will  do,  George,"  said  the  Elder  Clayton,  hitching 
nervously  in  his  chair  :  "  it  appears  to  me  that  is  an  unwarrant- 
able position." 

"Unwarrantable?"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Clayton,  who  had  been 
rapidly  brimming  up,  and,  now  there  was  one  drop  too  many 
added,  she  went  off  in  a  torrent:  "Unwarrantable,  I  guess  it 
is  —  it's  blasphemy!  I  wish  I'de  throw'd  the  book  into  the 
fire !  I  don't  see  what  anybody  wants  to  meddle  with  such 
things  for.  My  father  and  mother  lived  and  died  in  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  and  that  faith  is  good  enough  for  me;  and  now 
just  to  hear  the  like  of  that,  that  there  an't  any  immersion  in 
the  Bible  —  It's  blasphemy!  that's  what  it  is  —  I  won't  hear 
such  stuff!"  And  she  bolted  from  the  room,  slamming  the 
door  after  her  in  a  manner  that  enforced  her  opinions. 

There  followed  an  awkward  pause.  George  rolled  his  eye3 
up  toward  Anna,  and  drew  down  his  mouth  for  an  inaudible 
whistle  :  but  Anna  sat  riveted  to  her  chair,  as  though  suddenly 
stricken  by  a  power  that  deprived  her  of  motion.  Fortunately, 
the  silence  was  broken  by  a  horse  and  horseman  coming  up  on 
a  leisurely  trot  to  the  gate.  The  man  dismounted,  took  off  a 
capacious  pair  of  saddlebags,  and,  pulling  his  hat  down  over 
his  eyes,  with  true  clerical  dignity,  walked  up  to  the  door. 
KMer  Clayton  greeted  him  warmly,  and  the  two  walked  into 
the  study. 

'•There  now,"  said  George,  "that's  what  T  call  an  interposi- 
n 


18  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

tion  of  Providence ;  nothing  else  could  have  sent  old  Father 
Longwind  here,  just  at  this  time,  on  one  of  his  longwinded 
visits.     Anna,  what's  the  matter  !     Why  don't  you  look  up  ?" 

"  George,  you  won't  turn  away  from  me,  will  you,  if  all  the 
rest  of  the  world  does  ?  —  You  will  pity  me  ?  "  She  said  this 
in  a  tone  of  hopeless  pleading. 

"  Pity  you  ?     Why,  what  for,  Anna  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  what  to  do." 

"  Do  ?  Why  let  them  blow  away,  to  he  sure  :  guess  Pd  read 
what  I  was  a  mind  to,  for  all  anybody  says — if  they  don't  want 
to  hear  it,  why,  they  know  their  privilege." 

"  But,  Geoi-ge,  they  have  been  kind  to  me — as  truly  a  father 
and  mother  to  me  as  to  you ;  what  have  I  —  what  am  I  —  that 
I  do  not  owe  to  their  care  and  indulgence  ?  and  to  do  anything 
to  grieve  them " 

"  As  for  that,  it  seems  to  me  to  be  a  small  matter  to  read  or 
not  to  read  a  book ;"  replied  George,  interrupting  her. 

"  A  small  matter  !  So  it  may  seem  to  them  and  to  you,  but 
to  me  it  is  a  fearful  necessity.  George,  sit  down  here,  and  I 
will  tell  you  how  it  is  with  me.  I  look  around  the  world  upon 
a  strangely  intermingled  mass  of  good  and  evil.  I  see  some 
natures  almost  wholly  given  up  to  depravity,  rolling  sin  as  a 
sweet  morsel  under  their  tongues,  and  others  professing  to  be 
good,  professing  to  be  children  of  one  common  Father,  recipients 
of  the  same  Atoning  blood,  under  the  same  laws,  to  be  travellers 
and  pilgrims  here  with  one  object,  to  labor  in  a  common  cause, 
and  to  be  journeying  to  the  same  eternal  blessed  rest; — and  yet 
I  see  this  body  of  professing  Christians  split  up  into  factions, 
and  so  blinded  by  prejudice,  as  almost  to  forget  their  Master's 
work,  in  zeal  for  their  own  particular  sect  —  it  grieves  me. 
And  when  one  starts  up  and  says,  Ton  are  altogether  wrong, 
and  we  are  altogether  right;  your  church  is  no  church,  and 
ours  is  the  only  true  church — it  startles  me,  and  I  wish  to  know 
by  what  right  they  urge  such  claims  as  these.     Now  I  feel  it 


T  II  K     INQUIEXB    AFTER    TRUTH.  19 

my  duty  bo  profess  Christ  before  the  world.  I  cannot  do  this 
without  connecting  myself  with  some  existing  body  of  Chris- 
tians. Can  I  do  this  blindly,  knowing  but  one  sect,  and  making 
this  sect  my  Master's  kingdom?  No!  I  dare  not.  Should  I 
go  with  my  friends,  allowing  them  to  be  a  guide  to  my  con- 
science— believing  as  they  believe,  simply  because  they  believe 
it?  Can  they  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ  in  my 
stead  and  answer  for  me  ?  No  !  you  know  they  cannot  —  then 
how  can  they  here  ?  This  matter  is  entirely  between  my  soul 
and  God.  Do  you  not,  then,  see  that  it  is  an  imperative  neces- 
sity with  me,  that  I  go  contrary  to  their  wishes?  Do  you 
wonder  that  I  feel  that  it  is  at  my  soul's  peril  if  I  refuse  to  in- 
vestigate, decide,  and  act?" 

"That  is  very  reasonable,  Anna,"  said  George;  "just  so  I 
have  thought  it  over  and  over,  only,  you  see,  I  sum  it  up  differ- 
ently. I  say  to  myself,  that  it  is  evident  from  the  facts  in  the 
case,  that  the  devil  has  it  pretty  much  his  own  way,  and  will 
get  the  larger  part  of  them,  and  me  too,  if  we  go  on  the  way 
we  are  going;  and " 

"  0  George,  I  wish  you  felt  a  deeper  interest  in  these  things." 

"And  so  I  would  if  all  the  world  were  like  you,  Anna;  but 
there  is  no  use  talking  about  that.  You  said,  Pity  me  —  I  do 
pity  you,  Anna,  with  your  views  of  individual  responsibility, 
your  all-embracing  brotherly  love  and  fellowship,  which  I  admit 
are  true  Gospel  principles,  and  if  lived  out  would  make  all  the 
world  Christians — with  your  clear  insight  into  the  absurdity  of 
things,  and  your  shrinking,  sensitive  soul — why,  Anna,  if  you 
are  to  be  thrown  into  this  whirlpool  of  contending  elements 
and  prejudices,  you  might,  better  by  far,  throw  yourself  into 
Maelstrom's  whirling  waters — faintly  hoping  at  some  time  to  be 
cast  out  upon  the  coast  of  Norway  —  that's  my  opinion." 

••  But,  George,  should  I  not  follow  the  path  of  duty,  no 
matter  where  it  leads  me?" 

Y  s,  go  on,  Anna,  and  may  Heaven  guard  you  —  and  if  it 
don't,  I  don't  know  what  wilL" 


20  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  Thank  you,  George  :  that  strengthens  me,  and  I  begin  to 
feel  brave  to  do,  and  strong  to  bear." 

"  But,  Anna,"  said  George,  breaking  the  silence  which  fol- 
lowed, in  which  both  seemed  lost  in  their  own  thoughts,  "you 
have  no  conception  of  the  strength  of  religious  prejudices — ■ 
you  can  never  bear  up  against  them.  After  all,  I  believe  my 
philosophy  is  the  wisest.  What  can  a  body  do  but  take  the 
world  as  he  finds  it :  laugh  at  its  absurdities,  whether  they  be 
comic  or  tragic,  and  let  it  go  at  that.  This  world  is  a  thankless 
master.  How  has  it  regarded  some  of  its  greatest  benefactors 
whilst  living  ?  You  know  how  it  was  with  our  Savior.  And 
even  in  modern  times,  you  know  how  it  has  been  with  such 
men  as  Columbus,  Galileo,  Milton,  Bunyan,  Baxter,  and  a  host 
of  reformers.  To  be  sure,  after  they  were  dead,  they  began  to 
estimate  what  these  men  had  done  for  the  world's  progress; 
and  many  of  them  have  been  toasted  and  lauded  ever  since  in 
a  way  that  must  be  astonishing  to  those  illustrious  shades,  if 
they  walk  to  and  fro  in  the  earth,  and  up  and  down  in  it,  as  a 
certain  wicked  one  did  in  olden  times.  The  fact  is,  Anna,  if  a 
luckless  wight  happens  to  stumble  on  an  idea  which  is  in  ad- 
vance of  the  world's  progress,  he  is  laughed  at,  and  forthwith 
every  ragged  urchin  or  upstart  in  the  street  thinks  it  his  duty 
to  throw  rotten  eggs  at  him.  What  they  do  after  his  death 
an't  of  much  consequence  —  wouldn't  be  to  me,  anyhow :  it 
don't  provide  his  bread  and  butter  when  he  most  wants  it.  So 
you  see  my  philosophy  is  a  sort  of  necessity  to  me,  as  yours  is 
to  you.  Come,  Anna,  what  do  you  say  to  that  ?  "  said  George, 
for  she  was  silent,  sad,  and  thoughtful,  with  her  eyes  fixed  on 
the  floor. 

"  There  is  much  truth  in  what  you  say,  George.  But  it 
seems  to  me,  when  one  gigantic  mind  soars  up  above  its  fellows, 
and  grasps  a  principle  involving  a  great  good,  and  bestows  it 
upon  the  world,  free  as  the  winds  and  waters  of  heaven,  know- 
ing that  the  world  will  deride  the  gift,  or  its  object,  and  the 


THE    INQUIRES    AFTER    TRUTH.  21 

one  who  1  es  h  ■  I  it ;  refusing  in  it-  blindness  or  ignorance,  or 
pting  it  thanklessly,  that  that  mind  has  arrived  at  tin' 
highest    |  •  oint  of  moral   grandeur  attainable  in  this 

world.  He  approaches  the  Divine  Btandard,  just  in  proportion 
to  the  unselfishness  of  the  object.  And  I  would  rather  be  BUch 
an  one,  with  bread  and  water  for  my  food,  the  skins  of  beasts 
for  my  clothing,  and  a  cave  of  the  earth  for  my  dwelling-place, 
than  to  have  the  wealth  of  princes,  and  live  as  selfishly  as  most 
of  the  world  are  living.  No.  Let  us  labor  for  the  world's 
good.  If  there  are  evils,  let  us  make  an  effort  to  eradicate 
them.  Let  not  our  own  good  be  the  one  object  of  life,  but  also 
the  good  of  others.  Let  us  seek  to  know  the  right — to  do  the 
right — to  maintain  the  right — live  for  it  and  die  for  it,  if  need 
be  —  we  cannot  die  in  a  better  cause." 

"  Poh  !  Anna,  you  are  an  enthusiast  —  a  dreamer  !  True,  it 
totmds  well  enough,  but  it  won't  do  to  live  in  this  manner,  the 
way  the  world  goes  now.  The  mischief  is,  every  one  thinks 
that  he  is  right  —  no  matter  what  absurd  notions  he  gets  into 
his  head — he  is  right — he  and  his  alone  are  right.  And  they 
invariably  make  up,  for  lack  of  argument  to  sustain  their  posi- 
tion, by  pertinaciously  insisting  that  €iey  know  they're  right!" 

"But  truth  must  triumph/'  responded  Anna,  "and  the  world 
is  making  progress,  though  we  need  not  trouble  ourselves  about 
the  effect  of  this  or  that  cause  :  the  question  is,  is  it  right  ?  If 
it  is,  then,  there  is  the  path  of  duty — walk  ye  in  it.  God  con- 
trols the  results.  If  I  cannot  convince  all  the  world  of  truth, 
that  is  no  reason  why  /  should  forsake  it.  If  I  cannot  make 
this  or  that  error  appear  to  the  minds  of  others — if  I  fail — my 
object  was  not  so  much  to  make  others  see  as  I  see,  as  to  satisfy 
my  own  conviction  of  duty,  and  to  stand  justified  before  God. 
I-  -'in-;  to  me,  that  the  first  thing  to  be  learned  is,  to  know/or 
myu  If  what  is  truth,  and  then  fearlessly  to  oppose  the 
wroii^ 

••  Anna,  you  are  a  brave  girl.     I  believe  you  have  motives  to 


22  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

actuate  you,  and  principles  to  sustain  you,  that  I  know  nothing 
about.  Why  I  verily  believe  you  would  walk  up  to  the  stake, 
as  you  would  to  your  dinner.  I  thought  that  kind  of  people 
were  all  dead  long  ago.  It  must  be  that  they  are,  Anna,  and 
I'm  afraid  your  notions  will  have  to  warp  a  little — just  a  little, 
you  know — 'twould'nt  be  of  much  consecpuence,  and  the  world 
would  go  on  so  much  smoother." 

Anna  did  not  reply.  George  was  older,  and  had  seen  much 
more  of  the  world  :  —  his  warning  sounded  fearfully  ominous, 
and  she  inwardly  prayed  to  be  kept  from  the  evil  to  come. 

Within  the  study  which  was  on  the  second  floor  of  the  Clay- 
ton house,  the  two  ministerial  friends  sat  engaged  in  earnest 
conversation.  The  windows  were  thrown  open  to  admit  the 
lazy  swells  of  air,  that  now  and  then  lifted  themselves  up  from 
the  forest,  swept  over  the  meadows,  rustled  the  corn-leaves, 
whispered  to  the  locust-trees,  which  skirted  the  yard,  and  then 
playing  with  the  window  drapery,  passed  on,  and  with  the 
softest  of  fingers  lifted  gently  their  locks,  and  sunk  to  rest  on 
their  damp  brows.  These  windows  overlooked  not  only  forest, 
meadow  and  corn-field,  but  in  the  perspective  there  was  a 
glimpse  of  the  village  of  A ,  with  its  church-steeple  over- 
topping the  tallest  trees,  and  appearing  a  common  centre, 
around  which  the  white  houses  were  peeping  through  the 
foliage. 

This  might  have  been  suggestive  to  Elder  Clayton,  for  his 
eyes  were  fixed  on  it  as  he  listened  to  a  graphic  sketch  of  his 
friend's  labors  since  last  they  met. 

"  It  has  really  been  a  refreshing  season,"  said  Brother  Long- 
wind,  "  a  wonderful  ingathering  of  souls  this  last  winter.  The 
Lord  has  truly  been  gracious  to  his  people.  Our  churches  are 
exceedingly  prosperous  wherever  I  have  been."  I  would  re- 
mark here  in  a  pause  of  the  speaker,  as  Elder  Clayton  fervently 
ejaculated,  "Thank  the  Lord,"  —  that  Father  Longwind,  as  he 
was  generally  called,  was  a  missionary  employed  by  the  associa- 


T  II  F.    INQUIRES    AFTER    T  R  U  T  n  .  23 

tion  with  which  he  was  connected,  to  visit  vacant  fields,  build 
up  new  churches,  and  to  strengthen  the  weak.  "  I  understand," 
he  continued,  "  that  the  Lord  has  been  here  with  a  blessing, 
bringing  numbers  into  the  flock,  not  forgetting  your  own  house- 
hold —  i-  it  so,  Brother  Clayton?" 

"It  is  true/"  replied  Elder  Clayton,  "last  Sabbath  I  baptized 
five,  and  there  are  others  yet  to  come  forward.  A  few  perhaps 
are  leaning  towards  the  Methodists,  but  I  think  with  a  little 
looking  after,  they  may  all  be  brought  along.  By  the  way, 
have  you  any  of  our  publications  with  you  ?  I  think  if  I  had 
some  works  on  Baptism  and  Communion,  to  pass  round  here, 
they  would  be  just  the  thing." 

"  Ilav'nt  got  one  with  me — sorry — sold  them  all  out !  You've 
no  idea  what  numbers  of  them  I'm  scattering  round,  as  I  go 
from  one  town  to  another.  I  just  say,  here's  a  good  book, 
would'nt  you  like  to  buy?  It  is  pleasantly  written  —  cheap, 
too,  only  so  much,  and  if  you  can't  afford  to  buy  it,  I  will  give 
it  to  you ;  and  the  consequence  is,  of  course,  they  take  one  or 
two,  and  sometimes  a  whole  set.     But,  brother,  I'm  going  to 

X to-morrow  to  get  a  new  supply.     These  books  are  just 

what  you  want ;  I'll  bring  two  or  three  sets  on  purpose  for 
you,  and  I'll  warrant  that  with  them,  you'll  bring  all  your 
charge  around  right.  How  is  it  with  Anna  ?  She  was  always 
quick  and  thoughtful.  I  used  to  think  she  was'nt  far  from  the 
kingdom." 

'•  Well,  I  don't  know,  I  wish  you  would  talk  with  her. 
Mother  and  I  thought,  of  course,  she  would  come  on  at  our 
last  Covenant  Meeting.  Mother  even  prepared  her  clothes  for 
the  water ;  but  she  said  that  she  would  rather  wait ;  and  now 
she  has  got  a  book  which  she  is  reading,  that  I  don't  approve 
of  at  all ;  indeed,  I  didn't  know  anything  about  it  till  to-day." 
-Ah!  what  is  it?" 

"I  really  don't  know  myself,  some  theological  discussion,  I 
should  think,  though  she  had  just  commenced  reading  as  you 
came  in." 


24  ANNA    CLAYTON;      OR, 

"  I  don't  approve  of  women  and  children  meddling  -with  stiell 
matters  at  all,"  said  Brother  Longwind,  with  a  long-drawn  sigh, 
"  they  make  such  bad  work  of  it  always.  What  can  they  know 
of  the  evidences  pro  and  con,  on  questions  which  puzzle  our 
wisest  heads." 

"  You  know,"  said  Brother  Clayton,  smiling,  "  it  is  given  to 
the  simplest  of  this  world  to  confound  the  wise ;  and  as  to  ca- 
pacity for  perceiving  points  at  issue,  Anna  is  not  much  inferior 
to  the  best.  I  would  like  to  have  you  talk  with  her ;  you  under- 
stand these  things  better  than  1  do.  The  difficulty  with  Anna 
is,  she  is  never  satisfied  until  she  sounds  to  the  bottom  of  every- 
thing that  interests  her  —  she  must  go  to  the  bottom  —  to  the 
very  bottom  of  everything.  Come,  Brother  Longwind,  let's 
walk  down  to  the  village ;  I  have  some  calls  to  make  to-day." 
Thus  saying,  the  two  set  out  leisurely  down  the  way,  enjoying 
the  deep  shade  of  the  maples,  which  skirted  either  side  along 
the  road,  stretching  on  far  over  the  point  of  the  hill ;  nor  did 
they  return  till  the  sun  had  snatched  a  last  burning  kiss  from 
the  glowing  hill-tops,  over  which  the  clouds  hung,  and  blushed 
crimson  at  the  sight. 

"  I've  got  some  glorious  news  for  you,"  said  George,  bursting 
into  the  room  where  Anna  was  sitting,  just  at  nightfall,  with 
an  open  letter  in  his  hand ;  "  some  glorious  news  for  you,  Anna ! 
My  college  chum,  Halley,  is  coming  down  to  the  '  Old  Bird's 
Nest.'  I  told  him  he'd  better,  for  we  were  literally  overflowing 
with  milk  and  honey  hero,  with  an  abundance  of  maple  'lasses, 
and  also  another  kind,  much  sweeter  and  rarer,  with  green 
fields,  trout-brooks,  and  a  trusty  old  musket  also  among  our 
superfluities,  besides  other  things  too  numerous  to  mention. 
And  what's  better  yet,  Anna,  he's  going  to  be  here  this  very 
night." 

"  I  think  your  friend  will  be  welcome,"  said  Anna,  with  a 
quiet  smile. 

"  Well,  Anna,  you  arc  refreshingly  cool,  anyhow.     But,  you 


THE    JNQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  25 

soo,  you  don'l  discover  the  beauties  of  it  as  I  do.  Hallcy  is  a 
glorious  fellow,  as  cute  as  a  lawyer  and  as  deep  as  a  sage.  I've 
heard  him  argue  on  these  theological  questions,  and  I  tell  you 
he  can  measure  the  length  and  breadth  of  them  as  well  as  any- 
body I  ever  saw.  Why  he  talks  like  a  preacher;  in  fact,  I 
believe  he  is  going  to  make  one." 

'•Ah  !"  said  Anna,  her  eye  lighting  up  with  interest,  "per- 
haps we  may  get  some  information  from  him,  then." 

"  Yes,  that's  it ;  and  then  you  see  I'll  manage  to  put  him 
against  Father  Longwind,  and  then  we  will  have  a  treat." 

"  Would  not  that  be  unkind  ?"  said  Anna;  "  perhaps  Father 
Longwind  would  rather  decline  an  argument." 

"Never  you  fear  that,  Anna;  he's  always  at  it;  and  be- 
sides," said  George,  dropping  his  gay  smile  and  tone,  "  I  want 
to  shield  you  from  the  attack.  Don't  I  know  what's  a  coming  ? 
I  hav'nt  lived  in  the  world  so  long  for  nothing,  I  hope.  But 
there  comes  the  stage  now,  and  as  sure  as  I'm  alive  there's 
Halley  too.     An't  he  a  splendid  fellow?" 

The  person  referred  to  jumped  from  the  stage  and  walked 
with  a  quick  step  up  the  path,  his  eye  wandering  over  the 
neatly  arranged  primroses,  tulips,  dahlias,  etc.,  skirted  with 
myrtle,  violets,  and  moss,  and  a  fuschia  that  hung  its  wealth  of 
crimson  blossoms  as  a  window  drapery.  All  these  were  evi- 
dences of  a  delicate  female  taste,  and  his  glance  was  one  of 
warm  appreciation. 

He  was  received  by  his  friend  George  with  a  hearty  shake 
and  a  "How  are  you,  my  boy?"  by  Elder  Clayton,  with  the 
warm  salutation,  "You  are  welcome,  sir!"  by  Anna,  with  a 
blush  and  a  bow;  while  Father  Longwind  extended  a  glance, 
with  his  hand,  that  measured  him,  length  and  breadth,  from 
his  head  downward.  But  soon  they  were  all  equally  interested 
in  his  easy  flow  of  conversation  and  genial  good  spirits.  It 
was  late  in  the  night  before  the  tide  of  conversation  ebbed  on 
the  shore  of  silence,  and  they  individually  sought  repose. 
3 


26  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 


CHAPTER  II. 


"'Twixt  truth  and  error  there's  this  difference  known: 
Error  is  fruitful,  truth  is  only  one" 

"Let  party  names  no  more 

The  Christian  'world  o'erspread ; 
Gentile  and  Jew,  and  bond  and  free, 
Are  one  in  Christ,   their  Head." 


A  morning  in  June !  Who  can  describe  the  unfolding 
richness  of  a  June  day  ?  No  artist  can  portray  it  on  canvass, 
though  he  have  more  than  mortal  powers,  and  the  inspiration 
to  catch  the  mellow  gold  melting  into  shade,  before  which  the 
stars  pale,  whilst  underneath  the  earth  lies,  half  concealed, 
spread  out  like  a  vision  of  fairy  land.  But  whei-e  are  the  thou- 
sand dew-gems,  which  hang  like  so  many  pearls  from  every 
grass-blade,  and  rustle  within  the  leaves  and  flowers,  with  a  star 
in  each  liquid  bosom  ?  "Where  the  thousand  songsters,  starting 
from  their  leafy  coverts  with  a  burst  of  melody  that  echoes 
from  the  overhanging  heights  ?  Where  the  rich,  all-pervading 
consciousness  of  life,  which  thrills  the  soul  of  the  inanimate 
as  well  as  of  the  animate  world,  and  finds  an  answering  pulsa- 
tion in  your  own  ?  Where  the  perfumes,  which  mount  up  to- 
ward heaven  like  pure  incense  from  a  thousand  shrines  ?  And 
where  the  ever-changing  skies,  which  vary  but  to  put  on  new 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    T  R  UT  IT  .  27 

Splendor,  till  the  day-king-,  fairly  started  on  his  triumphal 
march,  lifts  his  burning  eye  above  the  hill-tops  and  bids  the 
world  "  good-morrow "  ?  Ah  !  the  picture  presented  by  the 
Divine  hand  shows  a  difference  from  the  copy,  which  is  only 
measured  by  the  line  drawn  between  the  finite  and  the  infinite 
—  who  can  measure  it? 

Never  dawned  there  a  fairer  morning  than  the  one  which 
opened  to  our  friends  on  the  morrow  of  yesternight.  The  sun's 
level  rays  lit  up  the  hill-tops,  and  stole  noiselessly  down  over 
woodland  and  meadow,  until  the  Clayton  House  was  all  a-blaze 
with  light ;  though  it  tried  in  vain  to  penetrate  the  window- 
hangings,  which  were  drawn  closely  last  eve,  to  shut  out  the 
darkness.  All  the  windows  were  closed  save  one ;  and  this 
was  thrown  widely  open,  and  in  it,  with  the  sunbeams  kindling 
like  a  halo  of  glory  around  her  pale  face,  was  Anna,  reading. 
The  open  Bible  was  on  her  knee,  and  her  eyes  were  resting  on 
that  sublime  psalm  of  David,  so  beautifully  appropriate  at  such 
an  hour — "  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  fir- 
mament showeth  his  handiwork.  Day  unto  day  uttereth  speech, 
and  night  unto  night  showeth  knowledge.  There  is  no  speech 
or  language  where  their  voice  is  not  heard.  Their  line  is  gone 
out  through  all  the  earth,  and  their  words  to  the  end  of  the 
world.  In  them  hath  he  set  a  tabernacle  for  the  sun,  which  is 
as  a  bridegroom  coming  out  of  his  chamber,  and  rejoiceth  as  a 
strong  man  to  run  a  race." 

It  had  been  a  troubled  night  to  Anna.  The  incidents  of  the 
previous  day  had  disturbed  her  more  than  she  would  confess  to 
other  than  herself.  Hitherto  her  wants  had  been  met  in  the 
rough  but  kindly  natures  around  her;  for  they  had  loved  her, 
and  in  her  own  peculiar  realm  of  poetic  thought  and  feeling, 
she  had  but  dreamed — now  had  come  the  time  to  act.  A  deep 
fountain  of  her  soul,  which  hitherto  had  not  been  stirred,  was 
broken  up ;  and,  "  as  deep  calleth  unto  deep,"  so  her  soul  called 
for  a  depth  that  could  measure  her  own.     She  could  share 


28  ANNA    CLAYTON; -OB, 

many  thoughts  with  George,  but  there  was  a  "  holy  of  holies" 
that  even  he  could  not  enter ;  and  as  its  solemn  depths  rolled 
up,  and  broke  billow  against  billow,  its  unsatisfied  yearnings 
called  as  unceasingly  as  the  voice  of  the  ocean,  "  My  mother ! 
oh,  my  mother  ! " 

Back  in  the  depths  of  memory,  there  was  a  soft  hand,  and 
loving  eyes,  which  looked  down  deeply  within  her  own  soul, 
and  a  voice  —  a  tremulous  voice  there  was,  that  soothed  her 
with  its  melody,  —  "Would  to  God,"  said  Anna,  half  audibly, 
with  a  deep  sigh  and  starting  tears,  "  Would  to  God  I  could 
feel  that  hand  now  upon  my  throbbing  brow,  that  I  could  lay 
my  head  upon  that  maternal  bosom,  and  pour  out  my  soul  there 
also,  as  I  would  to  God  !  My  mother  !  0  my  mother !  Can 
you  see  your  sorrowing  child  —  do  you  know  the  yearnings  of 
her  heart  ?  " 

But  no  mother  answered  —  no  mother  came.  The  young 
soul,  trembling  in  its  first  bitter  life  experience,  must  tread  the 
way  alone — no,  not  alone — thou  and  thy  God,  Anna,  what  need 
of  more ! 

There  came  no  mother,  it  is  true,  but  a  still  small  voice 
whispered  to  Anna's  soul  these  comforting  words,  "  When  thy 
father  and  thy  mother  forsake  thee,  then  the  Lord  will  take 
thee  up.  Commit  thy  way  unto  the  Lord,  trust  also  in  Him, 
and  He  will  bring  it  to  pass."  Close  your  eyes,  rest  as  securely 
as  an  infant  in  its  mother's  bosom  ;  wake  with  the  dawn,  and 
go  on  thy  way  rejoicing,  for  I  am  thy  God;  in  me  is  your 
strength,  my  arm  never  wearies,  my  eyes  never  slumber.  That 
voice,  which  said  to  the  troubled  sea,  " Peace,  be  still!"  can 
only  still  the  waves  that  lash  the  soul's  deep;  and  in  obedience 
to  that  voice,  bathed  in  the  sunlight  of  his  glorious  smile. 
Such  moments  arc  a  foretaste  of  heaven,  and  only  come  when 
we  feel  our  earthly  props  giving  way  under  us,  and  like  sink- 
ing Peter,  cry  out,  "  Lord,  save,  or  I  perish  !  " 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.        29 

Anna  was  just  waking  up  to  the  consciousness  that  she  was 
all  alone  in  the  world.  True,  those  with  whom  she  lived,  filled 
the  place  of  parents  in  outward  relations,  but  she  knew  enough 
of  human  nature  to  realize  that  the  ties  which  bound  them  had 
not  the  strength  of  kindred  blood ;  and  whether  they  would 
stand  the  hour  of  trial,  was  the  question  that  presented  itself 
in  the  solemn  hour  of  night,  and  in  which  was  involved  many 
prayers  and  tears.  She  owed  them  a  debt — a  deep  debt  of  gra- 
titude, and  would  it  not  be  right  to  submit  to  them  in  all  things, 
and  follow  their  dictation  ?  Ah  !  she  would  gladly  do  it,  were 
it  not  that  she  now  recognized  a  higher  authority,  and  had 
given  up  all  claims  to  herself,  into  the  hands  of  her  Savior. 
He  said,  "  Search  the  Scriptures,  for  they  testify  of  me."  It 
was  a  personal  command,  no  one  could  do  it  for  her,  and  if  in 
searching  she  should  be  led  to  differ  —  ah !  the  bare  thought 
was  fearful  in  its  uncertainty  of  results ;  but  "  God  being  my 
helper,  I  will  be  true  to  my  own  soul,"  she  exclaimed,  "and  0 
thou  great  God,  guide  me  into  thy  truth  !" 

In  that  hour  of  the  solemn  night-time,  no  one  dreamed  that 
she  —  the  timid,  retiring  Anna  —  was  determining  a  point  that 
involved  her  future  through  all  her  natural  life,  and  stretched 
on  into  eternity  with  results  that  none  but  God  could  fathom. 
No  human  being  was  aware  of  it,  but  angels  were,  and  they 
hovered  around  with  untold  interest.  "What  joy  there  must 
have  been  in  heaven  when  they  bore  up  her  fervent  petition 
and  solemn  resolve,  "  God  being  my  helper,  I  will  be  true  to 
my  own  soul;  and  thou,  0  God,  guide  me  into  thy  truth  !" 

Soft  as  an  angel's  whisper  stole  these  words  through  her 
mind,  and  soothed  and  strengthened  her : 

"  Hate  what  God  hath  written  hateful 
In  great  letters  on  thy  soul; 
Ever  minding  to  read  rightly 
Every  sign  upon  the  scroll. 

3* 


80  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

Love  what  Jesus  taught  thee  lovely ; 
Cherish  all  the  angels  bring ; 
Not  affecting  one  pulsation 
For  the  fitness  of  the  thing. 

Worship  as  the  Spirit  moves  thee ; 
Wear  no  gyves  upon  thy  faith. 
When  the  heavens  are  open  to  thee, 
Hear  what  the  Revealer  saith. 

Thou  and  God!  sublime  relation, 
Drifting  through  eternity, 
Whelming  human  speculation, 
And  merging  earthly  vanity ! " 

The  sun  was  now  several  hours  high,  as  Father  Longwind 
exclaimed  for  the  third  or  fourth  time,  "  really,  I  must  be  going, 

I  must  be  off,  or  I  shall  not  get  to  N to-day.     It  is  hard 

work  to  go  away  from  you,  Brother  Clayton !  Miss  Anna," 
he  said,  taking  a  seat  near  her,  "  they  tell  me  that  you  have 
found  the  Lord  precious  to  your  soul.  I  have  been  wanting  to 
congratulate  you  on  so  happy  an  event :  do  you  find  that  your 
enjoyments  increase?" 

"  I  think  that  I  find  in  religion  the  only  true  enjoyment  on 
earth,"  she  replied. 

"  Ah  !  yes ;  all  else  is  vanity,  '  vanity  of  vanities,'  saith  the 
preacher.  Now  you  must  go  on,  it  is  a  progressive  life  —  step 
after  step  to  be  taken ;  you  have  taken  one,  now  the  next  one 
is  to  put  on  Christ  openly  before  the  world.  One  may  not 
pause  after  taking  the  first ;  but  take  the  second,  and  the  third, 
and  so  on  to  the  end  of  the  race."  He  paused,  and  looked  in 
her  face  for  a  reply,  but  she  was  silent,  and  embarrassed.  She 
felt  Halley's  eyes  fixed  on  her,  and  the  family  were  all  listening 
eagerly  for  her  response,  but  it  was  more  the  consciousness  of 
the  motive  that  prompted  the  inquiry,  which  caused  her  em- 
barrassment. 

"  You  have  read  in  your  Bible,"  Father  Longwind  continued, 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.        31 

"that  those  who  believed  were  baptized.  The  eunuch  said, 
'See,  here  is  water,  what  doth  hinder  me?'  Philip  replied, 
'If  thou  believest  with  all  thy  heart,  thou  mayest.'  He  un- 
derstood his  next  duty,  and  was  anxious  to  do  it  without  delay. 
So  in  every  instance,  'believe  and  be  baptized'  was  the  divine 
command,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  it  is  equally  binding  on  you 
and  me,  and  every  believer  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Don't 
you  think  so,  Anna?" 

"  Perhaps  it  is,"  Anna  replied,  with  the  flush  deepening  on 
her  cheek;  "but  it  seems  to  me,  that  there  might  now  be  a 
reasonable  excuse  for  delay,  which  could  not  possibly  exist  at 
that  time;  in  fact,  that  delay  would  not  only  be  excusable,  but 
haste  criminal."  She  paused,  confused  at  her  own  boldness, 
in  daring  to  express  an  opinion  which  she  knew  would  be  dis- 
approved by  her  listeners.  But  what  can  I  do?  she  thought, 
if  I  speak  at  all,  it  must  be  what  I  think  to  be  the  truth.  After 
a  moment's  hesitation,  she  continued,  "  Then,  the  meaning  of 
every  command  was  distinctly  understood  in  its  length  and 
breadth,  its  application  and  force.  They  not  only  had  the  per- 
sonal teachings  of  Christ,  but  were  divinely  endowed  to  com- 
prehend even  the  dark  and  hidden  things  pertaining  to  the 
plan  of  salvation.  And  they  were  familiar  with  the  manners 
and  customs  of  the  people  of  that  age,  and  their  habits  of 
thought.  All  of  these  things  are  modifying  circumstances 
which  are  to  be  considered,  and  will  certainly  be  taken  into 
consideration  by  our  Heavenly  Father  and  Judge.  As  proof 
positive  that  these  things  are  not  so  clearly  understood  now,  you 
have  but  to  look  around  on  the  Christian  world — all  Christians 
believe  that  they  are  right,  yet  they  widely  differ  on  many 
points." 

"  Yet  if  I  read  my  Bible  right,"  said  Father  Longwind,  "  the 
essentials  of  the  plan  of  salvation  are  made  so  plain,  that  a 
wayfaring  man,  though  a  fool,  need  not  err  therein." 

••  True  the  essentials   must   be,  otherwise    God's   revelation 


32  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

would  not  be  perfect,  and  God  cannot  produce  an  imperfect 
thing,"  said  Anna. 

"  And  are  not  the  essentials,  repentance,  faith,  and  baptism  ? 
'  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved,  and  he  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned.'" 

"  Father  Longwind,"  said  Anna,  "  you  must  not  propound 
questions  to  me  as  you  would  to  a  sage.  If  my  mind  was  satis- 
fied on  all  these  points,  I  should  not  be  so  earnestly  inquiring 
after  the  truth  as  I  am.  I  do  not  feel  myself  competent  to 
speak  on  these  subjects  :  I  am  so  young  a  student  of  the  Gospel. 
But  it  seems  to  me,  that  of  the  essentials  of  salvation,  repent- 
ance is  undoubtedly  one;  for  we  read  in  Matt.  iv.  17,  that 
'  from  that  time  Jesus  began  to  preach,  and  to  say,  Repent,  for 
the  kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand.'  It  seems  that  repentance  was 
the  burden  of  his  preaching,  and  faith  is  everywhere  repre- 
sented as  the  keystone  of  salvation.  Saith  Jesus,  in  John  vi. 
47,  'Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  believeth  on  me, 
hath  everlasting  life.'  I  also  find  that  a  continuance,  or  hold- 
ing out,  is  represented  as  essential ;  for  Jesus  says,  in  Matt.  x. 
22,  '  Ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's  sake :  but  he 
that  endureth  to  the  end  shall  be  saved.'  But  as  to  baptism, 
if  you  refer  to  water  baptism,  I  have  never  been  able  to  find  the 
proof  in  the  Word  of  God." 

"  But  what  do  you  make  of  this  text  ?  "  said  Father  Long- 
wind  ;  "  '  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved'  ?  Is 
there  not  the  provision  of  baptism  ?  There  are  two  provisions 
only  —  believing,  or  faith,  and  baptism?" 

Anna  hesitated  and  looked  inquiringly  at  George — his  glance 
said,  go  on,  as  plainly  as  eyes  could  express  it,  and  she  replied : 
"  I  think  John  the  Baptist  throws  some  light  on  that  point, 
when  he  says,  in  Mark  i.  3,  e  I  indeed  have  baptized  you  with 
water,  but  He  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost.'  And 
Jesus,  when  assembled  with  his  disciples  for  the  last  time 
before  his  ascension,  said  unto  them,  as  recorded  in  Acts  i.  5, 


T  II  K     ENQUIRES    AFTER    TRUTH.  33 

'For  John  truly  baptized  with  water,  but  ye  shall  be  baptized 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  not  many  days  hence.'  Here  Christ's 
baptism  is  clearly  defined,  and  contrasted  with  John's,  as  it  is 
in  many  other  passages  in  the  Gospels  which  I  could  name. 
The  baptism  referred  to  in  this  text,  is  undoubtedly  that  which 
regenerates  the  soul,  otherwise  why  should  it  be  spoken  of  in 
connection  with  the  soul's  salvation?  As  Paul  testifies  in 
Ephesians  iv.  30,  'Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby 
ye  an>  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption.'  I  could  not  for  one 
moment  imagine  it  to  refer  to  water  baptism,  which  is  but  a 
type  of  the  true;  as  it  would  thereby  be  giving  an  external 
rite  an  importance  nowhere  sanctioned  in  the  Gospel.  To  be- 
lieve  it,  would  be  to  believe  that  it  is  a  saving  ordinance,  and 
not  only  all  Gospel  but  all  church  experience  proves  that  to  be 
false.  Jesus  says  in  John  vi.  03,  'It  is  the  Spirit  that  quick- 
eneth,  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing.' " 

Father  Longwind  was  becoming  more  and  more  surprised  at 
the  readiness  with  which  his  questions  were  answered,  but 
affected  a  little  laugh  as  he  replied  :  "  0  no,  of  course  we  don't 
think  immersion  a  saving  ordinance,  of  course  not,  only  very 
important.  I  always  had  my  doubts  about  that  passage  myself. 
I've  been  rather  in  the  habit  of  thinking  that  Christ  probably 
meant  both  —  the  thing  itself —  which  is  the  baptism  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  water  baptism,  which  is  the  image  or  shadow 
of  the  other.     Don't  you  think  so,  Brother  Clayton  ?  " 

"  Undoubtedly  he  did,"  Brother  Clayton  replied.  It  must 
be  confessed  that  Elder  Clayton  never  had  very  clear  ideas 
about  these  points,  and  did  not  know  what  else  to  say. 

1 1  alley,  who  had  been  listening  attentively  to  the  conversa- 
tion, with  his  eyes  wandering  over  the  lawn,  resting  now  on  the 
trees  which  shook  their  stalwart  branches  in  the  breeze,  and 
then  on  the  grass  and  flowers,  still  fresh  with  the  morning  dew, 
and  Bparkling  in  the  sunshine,  smiled  at  this  last  idea,  and  said, 
pointing  to  a  great  oak  before  them,  "I  suppose  if  Brother 

c 


84  ANNA    C  L  A  yton;    or, 

Longwind  was  telling  us  about  that  tree,  describing  to  us  its 
value,  if  used  as  timber  in  building  a  ship  to  carry  our  com- 
merce to  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth,  that  he  would  not  ex- 
pect us  to  understand  him  as  meaning  both  the  tree  and  its 
shadow  ?  I  think  the  shadow  would  hardly  compare  with  the 
substance  in  utility.  In  fact,  that  shadow,  and  all  shadows,  are 
of  no  use  whatever,  save  it  be  to  serve  as  a  type  of  the  sub- 
stance; and  are  utterly  insignificant  and  worthless  when  sepa- 
rately considered.  Would  it  not,  then,  be  as  unreasonable  to 
suppose  that  Christ  would  include  both  the  thing  itself  and  its 
shadow  or  type,  when  speaking  of  its  power  to  save  the  soul, 
as  that  you  would  include  both  the  tree  and  its  sbadow  in  build- 
ing a  ship  ?  You  would  succeed  as  well  in  building  ships  of 
oak  shadows,  as  making  Christians  of  water  shadows  ! " 

"  0  yes,  yes,  yes,"  said  Father  Longwind  with  another  laugh, 
u  that  seems  to  be  plain  enough ;  but,  Miss  Anna,  you  cannot 
deny  that  the  Apostles  strictly  enjoined  it  upon  believers;  or 
at  least  invariably  practised  it  on  profession  of  their  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ?" 

"  It  seemed  to  be  the  act,"  replied  Anna,  "  through  which 
they  made  a  profession  of  their  faith  to  tbe  world.  Its  use 
was  to  say  to  all  mankind,  We,  baptized  ones,  acknowledge 
ourselves  the  followers  of  Jesus,  to  have  faith  in  his  atonement, 
and  in  the  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

'•  I  don't  see  but  what  you  understand  it  perfectly  well," 
continued  Father  Longwind,  "  I  can't  see  wbat  is  in  your  way, 
Anna ;  is  it  anything  about  the  mode  ?"  and  he  scrutinized  her 
face  again  for  a  reply. 

Anna  would  gladly  have  avoided  that  point,  but  the  question 
was  asked,  and  must  be  answered,  and  so  with  much  hesitation, 
she  said ;  "  I  confess  that  I  am  not  quite  satisfied  on  that  point 
yet,  and  am  investigating  it;  I  hope  soon  to  arrive  at  the  truth, 
and  then,  when  I  know  my  duty,  and  how  to  perform  it,  I 
intend  to  do  it  without  further  delay." 


THE    INQUIRES     AFTER    TRUTH.  35 

••  5T<  9,  vi s"  Father  Longwind  remarked,  musingly,  drum- 
ming in  the  mean  time  with  his  fingers  em  the  window-sill, 
■•  STes,  investigation  is  a  very  good  thing  where  one  has  the 
means  to  carry  it  on  to  any  great  extent.  Partial  investigation, 
however,  I  think,  sometimes  does  more  hurt  than  good.  You 
know  the   poet   says  : 

"Drink  deep,  or  taste  not,  the  Pierian  spring." 

"  I  am  never  satisfied  with  partial  draughts,"  replied  Anna, 
smiling;  "though  I  hardly  think  it  will  be  required  to  go  be- 
yond the  means  that  I  can  command.  If  every  one  lives  up 
to  all  the  light  he  can  get  from  the  word  of  God,  I  think  he 
will  be  justified." 

••Just  so,  just  so,"  responded  Father  Longwind ;  "  I  think 
perhaps  I  may  be  able  to  assist  you  a  little.  I  know  of  some 
excellent  works  on  this  subject;  I  guess  I'll  bring  them  down 
on  my  way  back.  Yes,  yes ;  this  investigatigating  spirit  is  very 
commendable,  I  think.  But  really  I  must  be  going,  or  I  shan't 
get  back  to-morrow."  Thus  saying,  the  good  man  made  his 
bow  with  a  kind  adieu,  and  departed  on  his  way,  wondering 
who  had  been  the  teacher  in  the  recent  interview. 

Mother  Clayton  had  been  listening  with  a  degree  of  interest 
which  was  only  evinced  by  the  clinking  of  her  knitting-needles; 
watching  for  fear  there  might  be  a  thrust  at  her  favorite  creed. 
She  heaved  a  deep  sigh  of  relief  as  the  conversation  ceased, 
and  said  that  she  was  clad  Father  Longwind  was  scoino;  to  take  the 
matter  in  hand,  if  the  thing  must  be  agitated ;  but  for  her  part, 
she  did  not  see  why  they  could  not  let  well  enough  alone.  Thus 
saying,  to  the  great  relief  of  her  pent-up  thoughts,  she  went 
out  to  attend  to  her  culinary  duties,  and  was  soon  heard  sing- 
ing, in  her  own  peculiar  minor  and  nasal  voice,  the  familiar 
hymn, 

"A  charge  to  keep  I  have;" 

from  which  she  soon  struck  off  into  another,  equally  familiar : 

"Hark!    the  voice  of  love  and  mercy 
Sounds  aloud  from  Calvary." 


36  ANNA    CLAYTON)     OR, 

"  Love  and  mercy  ! "  thought  Anna ;  "  Love  and  mercy  ! 
These  are  the  two  controlling  principles  which  moved  our  Sa- 
vior to  offer  himself  as  an  atonement  for  our  sins.  Oh,  what 
an  infinite  sacrifice  it  took  to  atone  for  a  guilty  world !  In  our 
stead  the  eternal  Son  of  Grod  hore  the  stripes  of  an  angry  Fa- 
ther, and  hy  his  stripes  ice  are  healed  ! "  Then  arose  before  her 
mind  that  memorable  scene  when,  assembled  with  his  disciples 
for  the  last  time  before  his  crucifixion,  when  the  bread  was 
broken  and  the  wine  drunk,  how  he  said  unto  them,  "  lie  that 
hath  my  commandments  and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth 
me.  This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love  one  another  as  I 
have  loved  you."  And  again  he  said,  "  I  command  you  that 
ye  love  one  another.  After  these  things  he  lifted  up  his  eyes 
to  heaven  and  said,  Father,  the  hour  is  come ;  glorify  thy  Son, 
that  thy  Son  may  also  glorify  thee.  I  have  manifested  thy 
name  unto  the  men  thou  gavest  me  out  of  the  world :  thine 
they  were,  and  thou  gavest  them  to  me,  and  they  have  kept 
thy  word.  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  those  also 
which  shall  believe  on  me  through  their  word.  That  they  may 
all  be  one,  as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee :  that  they 
may  also  be  one  in  us,  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou 
hast  sent  me,  and  hast  loved  them  as  thou  hast  loved  me." 

"Oh,  how  they  love  one  another!"  thought  Anna,  as  her 
mind  ran  over  the  present  phase  of  the  Christian  world.  Could 
not  the  prayer  of  the  Infinite  Son  of  Cod  avail  at  such  an  hour 
to  keep  them  one?  Ah,  if  they  are  not  one,  they  must  be! 
That  prayer  must  have  its  fiulfilment  —  must  be  answered. 
"  For  I  know  that  thou  hearest  me  always,"  saith  Jesus. 
"  Make  them  one,  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast 
sent  me." 

0  thou  great  God,  speed  that  hour  when  all  thy  people  shall 
be  one  in  the  truth,  that  the  unbelieving  of  this  generation 
rise  not  up  in  judgment  to  condemn  us. 


T  11  i:     1  N  Q  I    I  B  K  K     A  F  T  E  R    T  R  U  T  II .  37 


CHAPTER  III. 


*'  lie  is  a  freeman  ■whom  the  truth  makes  free, 
And  all  are  slaves  beside." 

"  Oh,  grant  us  grace,  Almighty  Lord, 
To  read  and  mark  thy  holy  word ; 
Its  truths  with  meekness  to  receive, 
And  by  its  holy  precepts  live ! " 


u  Mr.  Halley,"  said  Anna,  looking  up  from  the  book  in 
which  she  had  been  absorbed  the  last  two  hours,  "  Mr.  Halley, 
I  have  found  a  difficulty  in  the  way  which  is  utterly  beyond 
rny  power  to  remove,  and  I  shall  be  under  the  necessity  of  call- 
ing on  my  friends."  This  was  a  few  days  subsequent  to  the 
incidents  related  in  the  last  chapter ;  during  which  time  Father 
Longwind  had  returned  with  the  promised  theological  works, 
one  of  which  Anna  was  now  perusing.  K  This  argument/'  she 
continued,  "  which  would  seem  candid  and  fair  to  the  careless 
reader,  assumes,  to  build  on,  a  position  which  is  a  disputed  one, 
not  even  intimating  that  it  was  ever  questioned." 

"  It  is  not  every  one  who  looks  so  well  after  the  foundation- 
stones,"  said  Halley.  "The  world  takes  it  for  granted  that 
what  seems  fair  is  fair.  But  what  is  your  difficulty  ?  If  it  is 
in  my  power  to  help  you,  I  shall  be  happy  to  do  so." 

"  It  is  this  :  here  it  is  assumed  that  3owtr(£io  Qtaptizd),  which 

i-   the    original  Greek  word  that  is   rendered  baptize  in  our 

translation,  means,  'to  dip/  '  to  plunge/  '  to  overwhelm,'  and  is 

never  used  in  any  of  its  forms  to  convey  any  other  meaning 

4 


38  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

Reference  is  here  made  to  Greek  lexicons,  in  which  it  is  traced 
from  its  root  up,  and  shown  in  every  instance  to  convey  the 
idea  of  dipping.  This  point  assumed,  it  then  goes  on  to  build 
the  superstructure  on  this  platform.  Now  my  difficulty  is  here  : 
no  reference  is  made  that  would  lead  me  to  suppose  that  this 
was  ever  questioned ;  but  I  think  I  have  heard  that  it  was ; 
and  before  I  go  on,  I  must  have  this  point  settled.  For  if  this 
platform  should  be  knocked  from  under,  the  beautiful  super- 
structure would  hang  betwixt  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  be- 
longing to  neither." 

"  That's  the  idea,  sis,"  said  George ;  "  but  an't  it  kinder 
scary  business,  digging  round  these  old  platforms  ?  Seems  to 
me  there  might  be  danger  of  being  buried  up  in  the  rubbish." 

"  There  is  little  to  be  feared  from  that  quarter,"  said  Halley. 
"If  you  had  ever  travelled  over  the  Great  Desert,  you  would 
probably  have  seen,  rising  from  its  arid  sands,  trees,  fountains, 
walls,  pillars,  and  dome,  with  all  the  real  magnificence  of  a 
kingly  palace  —  very  lovely  to  gaze  upon ;  but  if  you  had  at- 
tempted a  closer  view,  the  deceitful  mirage  would  have  vanished 
in  the  air.  So  it  is  with  many  a  splendid  structure  of  the 
human  brain  :  seemingly  perfect  and  complete  when  viewed  in 
the  distance  superficially;  but  commence  an  investigation  of  its 
several  parts,  and  you  will  find  that  spire,  dome,  roof,  walls, 
pillars,  and  deep  foundation-stones,  are  alike  composed  of  air, 
reared  in  air,  and  ever  ready  to  vanish  before  every  rough 
breath  which  may  be  blown  against  them  —  like  soap-bubbles 
which  the  younger  children  amuse  themselves  with.  Truth 
harmonizes  with  all  the  words  and  works  of  God.  It  is  an 
Eternal  Ilock,  against  which  dash  the  ceaseless  waves  of  false- 
hood and  error,  but  without  effect,  save  to  recoil  upon  them- 
selves. And  the  combined  powers  of  the  elements  and  forces 
of  the  world  beating  against  it,  and  all  the  united  efforts  of  the 
whole  human  race  digging  about  it  with  the  spade  of  thought, 
only  reveal  more  clearly  its  comely  proportions,  and  its  strength 
and  immutability." 


THE     INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  39 

"Just  so,"  said  Anna.  "Now  if  this  be  truth,"  —  holding 
up  the  volume  she  had  been  reading,  —  "it  will  bear  investiga- 
tion. And  now  just  help  me  to  dig  about  it,  that  we  may  he 
satisfied  whether  it  be  the  spurious  or  the  true." 

"  I  will  do  so  with  the  greatest  of  pleasure,"  said  Halley, 
"  provided  it  is  agreeable  to  all.  If  you,  George,  and  Elder 
Clayton,  and  mother  Clayton,  too,"  he  said,  with  a  smile  and 
a  how  to  that  good  lady,  in  whose  good  graces  he  had  most  suc- 
cessfully worked  himself,  "  if  you  will  take  hold  of  it  with  me, 
we  will  examine  it  as  carefully  as  we  can,  and  see  if  it  will  bear 
investigation,  and  the  impress  of  truth,  when  placed  alongside 
of  God's  word  —  for  his  word  is  truth." 

"  0,  of  course  we  are  willing,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "  though 
I  don't  pretend  to  know  much  about  these  nice  points." 

"  Yes,  let's  into  it,"  said  George ;  "  I'm  getting  interested 
myself.     I  an't  sure  but  I  shall  come  out  a  I).  D.  yet." 

"  I  hope  you  will  come  out  anything  but  that,"  said  the 
mother,  glancing  with  true  maternal  pride  on  her  handsome 
boy,  with  his  open-hearted  ingenuous  expression  of  countenance. 

"  Let  us  have  a  statement  of  the  first  position,  then,"  said 
Halley. 

"  It  is,"  Anna  replied,  "  as  I  have  already  stated,  that  bap- 
i'r.< .  which  in  the  original  is  a  Greek  word,  and  in  the  Greek 
form  is  0art*ifw  (baptizo),  invariably  means  to  dip,  to  plunge,  to 
overwhelm.  The  meaning  of  the  word,  as  used  by  Christ  and 
the  Apostles,  seems  to  me  to  be  truly  the  starting-point.  If 
we  can  determine  what  the  idea  was,  which  was  conveyed,  when 
he  said,  '  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them 
in  the  oame  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Grhost  ;'  then,  I  think,  we  shall  have  found  an  immutable  truth, 
around  which  will  cluster  others." 

"Or  rather,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "what  that  act  was,  which 
was  performed,  when  Christ  was  baptized  of  John  in  Jordan." 

"  Either  one,"  said  Anna,  "  though  I  prefer  the  command — 


40  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

the  commission  with  which  the  disciples  were  empowered  —  as 
it  is  the  only  authority  I  can  find  in  the  teachings  of  Christ, 
which  is  at  all  satisfactory  to  me." 

"What!"  exclaimed  Elder  Clayton,  "is  not  example  better 
than  precept?" 

"  What  evidence  would  there  have  been,"  said  Anna,  "  of 
its  being  for  our  example,  if  he  had  not  said,  '  Go  ye  into  all 
the  world,  baptizing  them.' " 

"True,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "but  I  think  the  idea  is  easier 
to  get  at,  in  my  text,  than  in  yours." 

"  Well,  then,"  said  Anna,  "  let  that  be  the  trial  text.  I 
think  it  is  found  in  Mark  i.  9.  Here  it  is,  it  reads,  'And  it 
came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  Jesus  came  from  Nazareth  of 
Galilee,  and  was  baptized  of  John  in  Jordan.' " 

"  By  one  party  it  is  understood,"  said  Halley,  "  that  Jesus 
was  dipped  of  John  in  Jordan.     Is  not  that  so,  Mr.  Clayton?" 

"It  is,"  replied  the  Elder. 

"And  by  the  other,"  Halley  continued,  "that  John  there 
administered  to  him  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  Now  for  the 
testimony  on  the  respective  sides." 

"  What's  that  ?  the  rite  of  baptism  ?  "  asked  Elder  Clayton. 
u  I  suppose  you  mean  that  it  was  administered  by  pouring  or 
sprinkling?" 

"  I  mean,"  said  Halley,  smiling,  "  that  Mark  records  nothing 
about  the  mode  by  which  it  was  administered ;  but  simply  states 
that  it  was  administered  by  John  to  Jesus." 

"  Then  you  are  not  an  advocate  of  sprinkling  ?  I  thought  it 
could'nt  be  possible,  right  in  the  face  and  eyes  of  such  testi- 
mony!" said  the  old  man  with  evident  relief.  "Just  listen, 
'  Jesus  was  baptized  of  John  in  Jordan  ;'  what  could  that  mean, 
but  that  he  was  immersed  in  the  river  of  Jordan  ?  " 

"  We  will  look  at  it,"  said  Halley,  "  and  see  what  bearing 
the  evidences  have  on  the  point  in  question.  I  never  intend," 
he  continued,  "  to  advocate  anything  but  what  I  have  good 


T  HE     I  N  QUIBIR     AFTER     TRUTH.  41 

reason  for  believing.     Whatever  there  may  be  elsewhere  for 

sprinkling,  it  certainly  is  not  to  be  supported  by  anything  found 
here;  and  it  remains  to  be  seen  if  there  is  anything  in  favor 
of  dipping." 

"  I  would  suggest,"  said  George,  "  as  baptize  is  the  disputed 
word,  that  we  first  examine  the  context  wherever  it  occurs,  with 
reference  to  the  two  ideas;  that  is,  of  dipping,  and  of  the  rite 
of  baptism,  before  we  take  up  the  word  itself." 

"I  was  about  to  suggest  the  same  idea,"  said  Anna;  "it 
seems  that  there  must  be  sufficient  evidence  in  the  Bible  alone. 
I  always  feel  sure  that  what  I  find  there,  there  can  be  no  mis- 
take about." 

11 1  am  not  particular,  as  it  regards  the  process  by  which  the 
investigation  is  to  be  made,"  said  Halley,  "  provided  we  get  the 
evidences  where  we  can  look  at  them  as  a  ichole.  The  one  great 
cause  of  the  divisions  and  strifes  that  are  now,  and  ever  have 
been,  agitating  the  Christian  world,  arises  simply  from  the  lake 
and  circumscribed  manner  of  studying  the  word  of  God.  For 
example,  take  the  different  views  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ. 
One  reads,  where  it  says,  'the  Man  Christ  Jesus;'  and  forth- 
with he  concludes  that  he  is  a  mere  man  —  a  good  man  to  be 
sure — but  only  a  man,  nevertheless,  and  boldly  points  to  God's 
truth  for  his  testimony.  Another  finds  a  passage  where  he  is 
spoken  of  as  Creator — as  being  with  God,  and  as  being  God — ■ 
and  thereupon  builds  a  theory  on  the  other  extreme,  making 
him  altogether  Divinity;  and  to  make  that  seem  consistent  and 
plausible,  deifies  his  mother,  too.  But  others  with  more  ex- 
tended and  enlightened  views,  gather  all  the  testimony,  and 
viewing  it  as  a  whole,  find  truth  —  the  truth  —  on  the  middle 
ground,  the  union  of  the  human  and  divine,  a  God-man." 

••1-   not  that   the  proper  way  to  study  anything?"  asked 
Anna. 

••  I  Vrtainly  it  is,"  he  replied.     "  It  is  a  universal  principle  in 
obtaining  correct  knowledge  of  any  subject  whatever.     And 
4* 


42  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

especially  is  this  important,  where  there  is  involved  a  know- 
ledge of  spiritual ;  or  perhaps  a  blending  of  the  spiritual  and 
material." 

"  But  it  seems  to  me,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "  that  we  are 
wandering ;  I  am  anxious  to  get  at  the  investigation." 

"  We  are  only  discussing  the  principles  on  which  to  inves- 
tigate," said  Anna.  "  It  is  necessary  that  we  should  under- 
stand them,  in  order  to  rightly  understand  each  other ;  and  also 
to  get  them  plainly  in  sight,  or  we  may  not  get  the  right  road." 

"And  it  is  ecpially  necessary  that  we  should  keep  them  in 
sight,"  said  Halley ;  "  or  we  may  lose  the  way  even  after  start- 
ing right.  In  the  first  place,  as  has  been  suggested,  we  are  to 
examine  the  context  wherever  the  disputed  word  occurs,  with 
reference  to  the  two  ideas,  that  is,  of  dipping,  and  the  rite  of 
baptism.  In  Matthew,  third  chapter,  it  is  first  found.  I  will 
turn  to  it  and  read  it,  supplying  the  word  dipped  for  baptized. 
'  In  those  days  came  John  the  Baptist,  preaching  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Judea,  and  saying,  Repent  ye,  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  at  hand.  For  this  is  he  of  whom  it  is  spoken  by 
the  prophet  Esaias,  saying :  The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the 
wilderness,  Prepare  ye,  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths 
straight.  And  the  same  John  had  his  raiment  of  camel's  hair, 
and  a  leathern  girdle  about  his  loins,  and  his  meat  was  locusts 
and  wild  honey.  There  went  out  to  him  all  Jerusalem  and 
Judea,  and  all  the  region  round  about  Jordan  ;  and  were  dipped 
of  him  in  Jordan,  confessing  their  sins.  But  when  he  saw 
many  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  come  to  his  dipping,  he 
said  unto  them,  0  ye  generation  of  vipers,  who  hath  warned 
you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come?  Bring  forth,  therefore, 
fruits  meet  for  repentance,  and  think  not  to  say  within  youi'- 
selves,  We  have  Abraham  for  our  father :  for  I  say  unto  you, 
that  God  is  able  of  these  stones  to  raise  up  children  unto  Abra- 
ham. And  now  also  the  axe  is  laid  unto  the  root  of  the  trees; 
therefore,  every  tree  which  bringcth  not  forth  good  fruit,  is 


T  II  K     INQUIRER     A  FT  Kit     TRUTH.  43 

hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire.  I  indeed  dip  you  with  water 
unto  repentance  ;  but  he  that  comcth  after  me,  is  mightier  than 
].  whose  shoes  1  am  not  worthy  to  bear:  he  shall  dip  you  with 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  with  tire.  "Whose  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and 
he  will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor,  and  gather  his  wheat  into 
the  earner;  but  the  chaff  lie  will  burn  with  unquenchable  fire 
Then  coineth  Jesus  from  Galilee  to  Jordan,  unto  John,  to  be 
dipped  of  him.  But  John  forbade  him,  saying,  I  have  need 
to  be  dipped  of  thee,  and  comest  thou  to  me?  And  Jesus  an- 
swering,  said  unto  him,  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now;  for  thus  it 
becometh  us  to  fulfill  all  righteousness.  And  he  suffered  him. 
And  Jesus,  when  he  was  dipped,  went  up  straightway  out  of 
the  water ;  and,  lo,  the  heavens  were  opened  unto  him,  and  he 
saw  the  Spirit  of  God  descending  like  a  dove,  and  lighting 
upon  him ;  and,  lo,  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  This  is  my 
beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased.' 

''This  is  Matthew's  testimony;  and  let  me  ask  you  if  dip- 
ping fills  the  idea  in  connection  with  preaching  repentance  and 
the  coining  in  of  the  kingdom  of  God?  Was  the  end  dipping? 
Imagine  for  a  moment  that  John  preached  in  the  wilderness, 
calling  the  people  a  generation  of  vipers,  and  warning  them  to 
flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  for  the  sole  purpose  of  dipping 
them  in  the  river  Jordan  !  In  a  moment  it  assumes  a  ridicu- 
lous as  well  as  an  inconsistent  aspect !  And  yet  it  is  here  and 
everywhere  else  enforced  that  baptism  was  the  mission  of  John. 
We  will  call  for  his  own  testimony.  John  i.  31 :  'I  knew  him 
not,  but  that  he  should  be  made  manifest  to  Israel ;  therefore 
dm  I  come  baptizing  with  water.'  And  in  the  33d  verse,  'I 
know  him  not;  but  he  that  sent  me  to  baptize  with  water,  the 
said  unto  me,  Upon  whom  thou  shalt  see  the  Spirit  de- 
eding, and  remaining  on  him,  the  same  is  he  which  bap- 
tizeth  with  the  Holy  Ghost.'  Here  he  has  himself  defined  the 
object  of  his  own  mission;  and  he  probably  understood  as  well 
as  any  one,  except  Him  who  gave  it  to  him,  what  that  mission 
was. 


44  A  SNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

"Christ  says,  'The  baptism  of  John,  whence  was  it?'  He 
■was  also  said  '  to  preach  baptism. '  Then  who  will  affirm  that  it 
was  not  the  one  thing  for  which  he  was  sent  ?  His  preaching 
was  but  the  means  to  the  end  or  object  of  baptism." 

"But  it  seems  to  me,"  said  George,  "  that  dipping  sounds  as 
well  as  sprinkling  or  pouring  ;  but  all  of  them,  in  the  passages 
you  read,  are  simply  ridiculous." 

"  So  they  are,"  said  Halley ;  "  that  is  what  I  hare  been 
showing,  and  that  is  just  what  we  believe." 

"Are  you  trying  to  make  out,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "that 
there  wa'nt  anything  done  because  it  looks  ridiculous?" 

"  Xo,  sir ;  not  at  all.  I  simply  make  out  that  God  always 
has  in  his  ordinances,  and  in  all  his  dealings  with  men,  a  deep 
spiritual  significance,  which  is  the  true  lesson  to  be  enforced, 
or  the  true  end  to  be  gained.  There  is  not  an  ordinance  in  the 
law  of  God  as  delivered  unto  Moses,  or  in  the  law  of  Christ — 
in  the  gospels,  in  the  New  Testament — but  what  has  a  spiritual 
signification ;  is  simply  a  type  of  something  spiritual.  Hence 
if  we  lose  sight  of  the  spiritual  import,  it  becomes  a  dead  let- 
ter—  a  worse  than  useless  thing." 

"  Then  you  would  have  us  understand,"  said  Anna,  "  that 
the  true  end  of  John's  baptism  was  not  the  act  performed  by 
him,  but  the  spiritual  thing  which  it  symbolized  ?  " 

"  Precisely,  Miss  Anna;  and  the  reason  why  this  is  so  hard 
to  be  understood,  is  because  we  are  sensuous  beings,  and  take 
sensuous  views  of  things.  Our  senses  are  caught  with  the  out- 
ward form;  while  the  truth  is  —  the  spiritual  is  far  more  real 
than  the  material.  '  Mind  is  more  real  than  body,  life  more 
real  than  form,  God  more  real  than  the  tangible  universe.'  To 
teach  us  this  lesson,  God  has  instituted  materia/  ordinances  as 
shadows  of  spiritual  substances.' 

"0  that  is  a  beautiful  thought!"  exclaimed  Anna.  "It 
pours  a  flood  of  light  on  my  mind  with  regard  to  God's  deal- 
ings with  men.     I  hnoio  it  is  the  truth,  for  it  immediately  re- 


Till:    I  N  Q  UI  11  i:  B     A  V  X  E  R    T  II  U  T  II .  45 

commends  itself  to  reason  and  the  understanding;  and  further, 
it  has  on  it  the  impress  of  Infinite  "Wisdom!" 

"There  is  an  abundance  of  evidence  to  prove  it,"  said 
Halley;  "  but  we  will  not  dwell  upon  it  now,  as  it  will  come 
up  again  as  we  proceed." 

"I  can't  see,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "how  this  materially 
affects  the  question.  It  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  the  act 
was  dipping,  and  that  it  may  have  a  spiritual  import  too  —  it's 
likely  it  did." 

"  Then  you  concede,"  replied  Halley,  "  that  John's  mission 
was  not  the  act  performed  with  water,  which  could  only  be  the 
'  purifying  of  the  flesh,'  as  Paul  has  said ;  but  as  he  warned 
them  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come,  which  was  to  come  in  a 
spiritual  state  of  existence,  and  preached  the  coming  of  the 
kingdom  of  God,  which  was  a  spiritual  kingdom;  for  Jesus 
says,  'My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world;'  that  the  essential 
part  of  his  baptism  must  have  been,  then,  spiritual  also ;  that 
is,  of  a  spiritual  import?  If  not,  it  follows  that  he  baptized 
solely  for  the  purpose  of  putting  off  the  filth  of  the  flesh — for 
cleansing  their  bodies !  Which  of  these  two  ideas  is  most  con- 
sistent with  a  heavenly  mission,  no  one  can  be  at  a  loss  to  de- 
termine. How  this  bears  upon  the  question  now  before  us, 
will  be  more  evident  by  and  by.  Now  let  us  turn  to  Matt.  iii. 
11, '  I  indeed  baptize  you  with  water,  unto  repentance;  but  He 
that  cometh  after  me,  is  mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes  I  am  not 
worthy  to  bear;  He  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
with  fire'  We  gather  from  this,  that  what  John  was  doing 
with  water,  Christ  would  also  do  with  the  Holy  Ghost." 

"  We  can't  suppose,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "  that  Christ  would 
Ktt  raUg  baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  is,  not  in  the  form 
of  baptism." 

"  Yes,  lit,  rally,"  replied  Halley.  "  John  says,  l  What  I  do 
with  water,  that  shall  He  do  with  the  Holy  Ghost.'  The  only 
difference  implied  in  the  phraseology,  is  this :  in  one  case  the 


46  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

agent  and  object  are  material;  and  in  the  other  case,  the  agent 
and  object  are  spiritual.  That  which  John  was  doing  with 
water  to  the  bodies  of  his  disciples,  the  same  would  Christ  do 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  to  the  spirits  of  his  disciples.  And  it  is 
to  be  inferred  that  John  was  doing  this  to  material  objects  with 
material  means,  because  Christ  would  therefore  do  the  same  to 
spiritual  objects  with  spiritual  means.  Now  things  which  are 
said  to  be  alike,  must  resemble  each  other  either  inform,  ope- 
ration or  effect :  otherwise  they  cannot  be  said  to  be  alike. 
Then  John's  baptism  must  be  like  Christ's  in  one  of  these 
points.  Let  us  look  again  at  this  verse,  and  try  to  find  out  the 
point  of  resemblance  which  will  justify  John  in  saying,  that 
he  is  doing  with  material  substance,  what  Christ  will  do  with 
spiritual  substance.  It  reads,  '  He  that  cometh  after  me  is 
mightier  than  I,  whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  bear,  He  shall 
baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire.'  This  shows 
that  John  considered  Christ's  mission  far  superior  to  his  own, 
and  that  determines  one  point  in  this  cpuestion.  For  it  is  an 
axiom  in  mathematics — a  self-evident  truth — that  things  which 
are  equal  to  the  same  things,  are  equal  to  each  other ;  and  ne- 
gatively, that  those  things  which  are  not  equal  to  each  other, 
are  not  equal  to  the  same  things.  Consequently,  if  John's 
mission  was  not  equal  to  Christ's,  as  he  testifies,  then  they  could 
not  be  equal  or  alike  in  the  effects  produced.  Now  is  there 
any  resemblance  in  their  operation?  Elder  Clayton,  can  you 
tell  me  what  the  office  work  of  the  Spirit  is  on  the  souls  of 
men  ?  " 

"  It  is  generally  considered,"  he  answered,  "  a  regenerator — 
a  sanctifier." 

"  A  sealer,  too,"  said  Anna.  "  Paul  says,  '  Grieve  not  the 
Holy  Spirit  by  which  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption." 

"  That  is  rather  an  effect,"  replied  Ilalley ;  "  and  so  here  we 
have  before  us  in  one  view,  the  effect  and  the  operation  of  the 
baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Its  operation  is  to  purify  and 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.        47 

sanctity;  and  its  effect  to  seal  the  soul  unto  the  day  of  redemp- 
tion. Vtui  ran  see  at  once  there  is,  aorcan  be,  no  parallel  here 
between  the  two  baptisms.  No  enlighted  Christian  now-a-days 
claims  for  water  baptism  any  sanctifying  grace,  or  that  it  has 
the  effect  tu  save  the  soul.  In  Christ's  chosen  twelve,  there 
was  niie  .hulas,  and  if  the  rest  were  baptized,  so  was  he;  but 
be  that  a-  it  may,  they  were  all  sent  out  to  preach,  and  had  be- 
stowed on  them  aU  miraculous  powers  of  healing;  and  yet  that 
did  not  make  him  one  whit  better  or  purer.  I  must  quote 
again  yonr  text,  Anna,  in  the  words  of  Jesus,  'It  is  the  Spirit 
that  quickeneth,  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing.'" 

"  I  have  found  an  example  to  the  point/'  said  Anna.  "  It  is 
in  Acts,  8th  chapter,  beginning  with  the  13th  verse.  I  will 
read  it  :  •  Then  Simon  himself  believed  also;  and  when  he  was 
baptized,  he  continued  with  Philip,  and  wondered,  beholding 
the  miracles  and  signs  which  were  done.  Now  when  the 
Apostles,  which  were  at  Jerusalem,  heard  that  Samaria  had  re- 
ceived the  word  of  God,  they  sent  unto  them  Peter  and  John; 
who,  when  they  came  down,  prayed  for  them,  that  they  might 
receive  the  Holy  Ghost  (for  as  yet  he  was  fallen  on  none  of 
them,  only  they  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus). 
Then  they  laid  their  hands  on  them,  and  they  received  the 
Holy  Ghost.  And  when  Simon  saw  that  through  the  laying 
on  of  the  Apostles'  hands,  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given,  he  offered 
them  money.  But  Peter  said  unto  him,  Thy  money  perish 
with  thee,  because  thou  hast  thought  that  the  gift  of  God  may 
be  purchased  with  money.  Thou  hast  neither  part  nor  lot  in 
this  matter,  for  thy  heart  is  not  right  in  the  sight  of  God. 
llepent,  therefore,  of  this  thy  wickedness,  and  pray  God,  if 
perhaps  the  thought  of  thy  heart  may  be  forgiven  thee  :  for  I 
perceive  that  thou  art  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  bond  of 
in  i*  |  ait  v.'  " 

■•  K\  idence  so  direct  and  unmistakable  needs  no  comment," 
said  Ilalley.     "  There  is  but  one  more  point  to  examine,  and 


48  A  N  N  A    C  L  A  Y  T  0  -\" ;     OR, 

that  in  truth  needs  nothing  but  the  simple  testimony  of  John. 
He  says  that  what  lie  was  doing,  that  would  Christ  also  do ; 
and  we  have  shown  from  Scripture  proof,  that  in  operation  and 
effect,  they  must  of  necessity  be  utterly  unlike.  Then  it  fol- 
lows, if  there  is  no  resemblance  in  form,  John  utters  that 
which  is  not  true.  He  was  doing  one  thing,  and  Christ  would 
do  something  altogther  different.  Who  will  take  upon  himself 
the  responsibility  of  giving  John  the  lie!  I  for  one  dare  not, 
for  Jesus  says,  '  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  among  them  that  are 
born  of  women,  there  hath  not  arisen  a  greater  than  John  the 
Baptist.'  But  do  you  ask  how  things  can  be  alike  in  form, 
and  utterly  unlike  in  value  and  use  ?  I  am  sure  we  have  every 
day  examples  of  this.  I  have  seen  an  exact  imitation  of  a  gold 
dollar — perfectly  like  one  in  form — resembling  it  in  size,  color 
and  stamp,  and  yet  it  was  not  gold.  And,  Anna,  I  have  seen 
wax  flowers  so  perfect,  that  the  eye  could  not  determine  the 
real  from  the  copy.  Yet  they  were  not  one  in  substance  or 
value.  Still,  the  wax  flowers  were  a  perfect  type  of  the  real 
flowers — and  the  bogus  dollar  of  the  real  dollar.  Xow,  Anna, 
what,  the  truth  of  which  there  can  be  no  question,  have  we 
found  by  an  examination  of  this  chapter  ?  " 

"  It  is,"  she  replied  :  "  that  John  declared  that  what  he  was 
doing  with  water,  the  same  would  Christ  do  with  the  Spirit. 
And  by  further  examination  we  found  that  the  resemblance  was 
neither  in  the  operation  nor  the  effect,  and  therefore  it  must 
of  necessity  be  in  the  form  of  the  rite." 

"  Please  note  that  down,"  said  Halley,  "as  &  point  determined 
in  this  investigation,  as  a  truth;  and  it  remains  to  be  seen  if 
others  will  not  cluster  around  it  speedily  —  truths  bearing  wit- 
ness to  this  truth,  and  corroborating  it." 

"  I  have  done  so,"  said  Anna;  "but  it  occurs  to  me  that 
here  is  something  to  throw  light  on  the  form  or  mode  of  bap- 
tism. '  They  were  baptized  in  Jordan,  and  Jesus  went  up 
straightway  out  of  the  water.' " 


TUT.     INQl'lltKR     AFTER     TRUTH.  49 

"What  docs  it  indicate?"  Baid  Halley. 

"That  they  went  down  into  the  water/'  she  replied. 

'•  Is  that  positive  evidenee  of  form?"  asked  Halley. 

M  No,  it  only  indicates  that  it  was  more  conveniently  done  by 
going  down  into  the  water." 

11  Very  well,  then,  we  will  consider  it  for  what  it  is  worth  by 
and  by  j  for  it  does  not  properly  come  up  here.  Is  there  any 
more  testimony  to  be  deduced  from  this  chapter,  except  what 
is  found  in  the  disputed  word?"  he  asked. 

"  I  cannot  see  as  there  is,"  Anna  replied :  u  but  there  is  a 
query  in  my  mind  about  the  position  already  taken.  I  always 
thought  immersion  to  be  in  likeness  of  Christ's  death  and 
burial ;  but  I  cannot  now  trace  the  connection,  if  water  baptism 
i<  a  type  of  spirit  baptism,  as  it  seems  most  clearly  to  be." 

'•I  presume  you  are  not  the  first  one,"  said  Halley,  "who 
has  believed  it  without  knowing  a  reason  why?" 

"  But  immersion  is  in  likeness  of  the  death  and  burial  of 
Christ,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  rather  warmly;  "  as  he  was  buried 
up  in  the  earth,  so  the  believer  is  buried  under  the  baptismal 
waters.  It  always  looked  as  solemn  as  a  literal  death  and  burial 
to  me.     You  know  Paul  says  :  'Buried  with  bim  in  baptism.'" 

"  By  baptism,"  said  Halley.  "  Suffer  me  to  correct  you  :  a 
small  word  sometimes  changes  materially  the  significance  of  a 
sentence.  Why,  Elder,  you  almost  tempt  me  to  omit,  for  the 
present,  the  intervening  texts,  to  show  you  what  a  broken  reed 
you  lean  upon ;  but  we  will  come  to  it  in  time." 

"  I  don't  believe  you  can  make  that  mean  anything  else," 
said  Elder  Clayton.  "It  is  just  as  plain  to  my  mind  as  that 
twice  two  makes  four.  There  are  other  passages,  too.  I  know 
it  can  be  made  out  very  plain,  that  immersion  is  in  likeness  of 
the  death  and  burial  of  Jesus  Christ.  You  know  I  said  I 
was'nt  posted  on  these  subjects,  but  Brother  Burton  is  coming 
in  a  lew  days,  to  stay  over  the  Sabbath;  he  has  all  these  texts 
5  D 


50  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

on  his  tongue's  end.  Perhaps  we  had  better  wait  until  he 
conies." 

"I  don't  see  why  \re  need  to  wait."'  said  Anna;  "I  am  not 
going  to  believe  anything  but  what  I  find  in  the  Bible  ;  and  if 
that  is  here,  we  can  find  it  as  well  as  Brother  Burton.  Besides, 
such  young  students  as  George  and  I,  who  have  never  been 
over  the  ground  before,  must  needs  be  led  slowly.  TVe  won't 
have  made  any  great  progress ;  and  when  Brother  Burton  comes, 
then  he  can  assist  us." 

"  What  pleaders  the  ladies  are,"  said  Halley.  "  Did  they 
ever  undertake  a  case,  and  not  sweep  all  opposition  before  them  ? 
Then,  if  we  are  all  agreed,  suppose  we  meet  out  on  the  shady 
end  of  the  balcony  this  afternoon,  to  make  further  progress." 

"  Just  look  here  !"  exclaimed  mother  Clayton,  holding  up  and 
measuring  off  full  two  fingers  of  knitting-work.  "  Look  here. 
I  believe  I've  accomplished  more  than  any  of  you ;  for  such  a 
jumble  of  John  and  Matthew  I  never  heard  before;  I  could'nt 
make  anything  of  it,  nor  did'nt  try  to ! " 

"  Every  one  to  his  calling  ! "  said  George ;  "  you  to  yours — we 
to  ours,  and  I  to  mine ;  come,  Halley,  let's  go  down  town  before 
dinner,  or  my  blood  will  stagnate." 

To  Anna  there  was  opening  a  new  field  of  thought.  She  had 
never  attempted  to  trace  the  connection  or  consistency  of  Gos- 
pel principles ;  and  she  wondered  cow,  how  she  could  have  ne- 
glected, so  long,  so  delightful  a  field  for  investigation.  If  we 
look  out  on  the  universe,  she  thought,  all  there  is  harmony  and 
consistency,  a  beautiful  index  of  the  divine  mind.  The  same 
principle,  that  holds  a  drop  of  dew  suspended  from  a  grass 
blade,  controls  worlds  and  systems  of  worlds,  wheeling  with 
impetuous  velocity  around  their  central  suns,  and  whirls  them, 
too,  in  turn,  around  some  central  point,  in  immense  circles,  a 
wheel  within  a  wheel,  until  the  finite  is  lost  iu  the  infinite. 
This  gives  us  some  idea  of  the  wisdom  and  power  of  the  God- 
head.    But  the  Bible  is  from  the  same  author,  and  is  given  to 


THE     [NQUIRXB    AFTER    TRUTH.  51 

us  to  reveal  other  attributes  of  his  character  which  run  parallel 
with  those  displayed  in  his  works  of  creation  and  providence, 
ami  which  must  move  as  harmoniously  in  their  operations  and 
effects  ;  otherwise,  he  would  not  be  a  God  of  infinite  perfection 
—  as  he  declares  himself  to  be,  both  in  his  word  and  works  — 
one  perfect  whole. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


"*Tis  great,  'tis  manly  to  disdain  disguise; 
It  shows  our  spirit,  or  it  proves  our  strength."  — 

"  The  Lord  shall  make  us  know 
The  secrets  of  his  heart, 
The  wonders  of  his  covenant  show, 
And  all  his  love  impart. 
The  dealings  of  his  hand 
Are  truth  and  mercy  still, 
"With  such  as  to  his  covenant  stand, 
And  love  to  do  his  will." 


The  afternoon  finds  our  friends  comfortably  seated  in  the 
balcony,  with  a  fresh  breeze  that  started  up  about  midday, 
shaking  the  pendent  honeysuckles  over  and  around  them.  But 
the  circle  was  not  complete.  Mother  Clayton  excused  herself 
with  the  plea  that  a  press  of  household  duties  detained  her, 
and  wondered  if  the  Elder  had  forgotten  to  prepare  his  sermon 
for  the  Sabbath.  It  was  well  enough  for  the  young  folks  to 
spend  their  time  in  that  way,  but  she  was  sure  it  looked  foolish 
fur  people  of  her  age  and  of  the  Elder's,  who  were  established 
in  the  faith,  to  trouble  themselves  about  such  matters.  Elder 
Clayton  was  evidently  of  another  mind.     He  had  been  consult- 


52  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

ing  the  Concordance,  and  appeared  with  his  Bible  under  his 
arm,  anticipating  an  easy  victory. 

"  The  next  chapter,"  said  Halley,  "  where  Matthew  employa 
the  word  baptism,  is  the  20th,  22—23  verses,  where  it  is  stated 
that  the  mother  of  Zebedee's  children  asked  of  Jesus,  that  her 
two  sons  might  sit,  the  one  on  his  right  hand,  and  the  other  on 
his  left,  in  his  kingdom.     And  Jesus  answered  her,  '  Ye  know 
not  what  ye  ask.     Are  ye  able  to  drink  of  the  cup  that  I  shall 
drink  of,  and  to  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  that  I  am  bap- 
tized with  ?     They  say  unto  him,  We  are  able.     And  he  saith 
unto  them,  Ye  shall  drink,  indeed,  of  my  cup,  and  be  baptized 
with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  with ;  but  to  sit  on  my 
right  hand  and  on  my  left  is  not  mine  to  give,  but  it  shall  be 
given  to  them  for  whom  it  is  prepared  of  my  Father.'     This 
is,"  continued  Halley,  "  very  generally  supposed  to  be  a  bap- 
tism of  suffering  to  which  he  refers,  but  I  must  beg  leave  to 
differ.     Let  us  examine  it :  '  Are  ye  able  to  drink  of  the  cup 
that  I  shall  drink  of?'     This  cup  Was  yet  to  come,  and  you 
will  find  that  the  Savior  refers  to  it  again  in  the  agony  of  the 
garden,  when  he  says  :  '  If  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from 
me/     That  was  indeed  a  cup  of  suffering.     And  further,  he 
says :  •  To  be  baptized  with  the  baptism  that  I  am  baptized 
with ;'  this  act  was  passed  with  him,  not  to  come.     Matthew 
had  recorded  his  baptism  of  water  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that 
descended  and  rested  on  him  in  the  form  of  a  dove.     Then  let 
me  ask  you  if  you  find  any  indication  of  a  baptism  of  suffering 
here  ?     Some  have  argued  that  he  was  to  be  overwhelmed  with 
sufferings,  and  that  this  he  looks  forward  to,  and  calls  baptism 
— but  where  do  they  find  it?     There  is  certainly  no  such  thing 
here,  and  it  remains  to  be  seen  if  they  can  find  it  elsewhere. 
He  refers  to  a  baptism  already  past ;  and  whether  it  be  of 
water  or  of  spirit,  you  can  form  sonic  idea  by  his  asking  if  they 
are  able  to  be  thus  baptized.     And  in  the  next  verse  he  tells 
them,  that  they  shall  be  baptized  with  his  baptism  —  they  had 


TILE     INQUIRES,    AFTER     TRUTH.  53 

in  all  probability  already  received  the  baptism  of  water,  but 
not  Christ's  baptism  —  but  when  afterward  the  Holy  Ghost  fell 
on  them,  then  they  were  baptized  with  our  Savior's  baptism; 
and  they,  not  long  thereafter,  partook  of  his  cup  of  suffering j 
for,  like  him,  they  were  persecuted  and  put  to  death.  Is  not 
this  so,  Elder  Clayton?" 

"  Really,"  said  the  Elder,  looking  bard  at  the  passage,  and 
around  it,  for  something  to  change  its  appearance  and  force, 
"it  must  be  I've  read  this  passage  carelessly,  as  I  always 
thought  it  to  be  plainly  a  baptism  of  suffering.  Indeed,  I  be- 
lieve it  is  thus  marked  in  my  Concordance." 

'•  Very  likely  it  is,"  said  Halley;  "  but  you  see  it  is  not  so 
marked  here  in  the  Bible." 

••  A  query  arises,"  said  Anna;  "you  said  that  Matthew  bad 
recorded  his  baptism  of  water,  and  also  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
which  descended  upon  him  in  the  form  of  a  dove;  and  we  have 
found  that  the  work  of  the  Spirit  is  to  cleanse  and  sanctify ; 
but  he  was  without  sin.     I  do  not  see  the  consistency." 

"  Your  objection  holds  as  good  against  one  kind  of  baptism 
as  the  other,"  responded  Halley.  "  If  he  had  no  need  of  the 
substance,  why  should  he  take  upon  himself  the  shadow?  For 
an  example,  you  might  answer  that  he  was  baptized,  for  the 
same  reason  that  the  Spirit  descended  at  that  particular  time; 
that  is,  to  indicate  to  John  who  he  was,  or  cpuite  reasonably, 
that  the  Spirit  then  descended  to  show  its  connection  with  the 
///]><■.  But  if  we  turn  to  John  i.  33,  we  will  learn  that  the 
bodily  representation  of  the  Spirit  was  for  a  sign  unto  John ; 
1  And  I  knew  him  not,  but  he  that  sent  me  to  baptize  with 
water,  the  same  said  unto  me,  Upon  whom  thou  shalt  see  the 
Spirit  descending  and  remaining  upon  him,  the  same  is  he  that 
baptizeth  with  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  I  saw  and  bare  record/ 
Some  might  say  that  it  only  seemed  to  fall;  but  that  would  have 
been  a  deception  inconsistent  with  the  character  of  God.  That 
it  /■- '///'/  fell,  is  proved,  or  reasserted  and  corroborated  by  what 
5* 


54  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

follows :  '  And  Jesus  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  returned 
from  Jordan,  and  was  led  by  the  Spirit  into  the  wilderness;' 
not  to  work  on  him  a  cleansing  and  sanctifying  process,  but 
with  him  for  the  salvation  of  the  world.  It  was  not  enough  for 
Jesus  to  die  —  true,  he  made  full  expiation  for  sin  by  so  doing 
—  but  the  world  was  to  be  convinced  by  it  that  he  was  their 
Savior,  and  had  made  reconciliation  possible.  Saith  Jesus, 
'  The  Spirit  shall  reprove  the  world  of  sin,  and  of  righteous- 
ness, and  of  judgment ;'  and  again,  (  He  shall  guide  you  into 
all  truth ;'  and  we  are  taught  elsewere,  that  through  the  Holy 
Spirit  we  are  sanctified  and  sealed;  and  so  you  see  the  work 
of  the  Spirit  is  just  as  important  to  fallen  humanity  in  the 
economy  and  great  plan  of  redemption,  as  the  sufferings  and 
death  of  Christ.  Our  Savior  himself  says :  '  Unless  ye  are 
born  again,  ye  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.' " 

"  0,  I  see ! "  exclaimed  Anna ;  "  it  was  to  be  through  a 
united  effort  that  the  work  was  to  be  accomplished ;  and  this 
is  simply  a  record  of  how  and  when  the  Spirit  came  down  to 
begin  the  work  with  Christ.  It  fell  on  him  really  and  visibly, 
and  he  afterward  communicated  it  to  his  disciples.  Here  is  the 
text.  John  xx.  22  ;  '  And  when  he  said  this,  he  breathed  on 
them,  and  said,  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost.' " 

"  In  Mark  i.  30,"  said  Halley,  "  Jesus  asks  the  question, '  The 
baptism  of  John,  was  it  from  heaven  or  of  men  ?  Answer  me.'  " 

"  Had  I  been  there,"  said  George,  quickly,  "I  would  have 
answered  that  if  it  was  simply  for  the  purpose  of  wetting  them, 
it  was  quite  evident  to  me  where  it  came  from." 

"  The  word  occurs,"  continued  Halley;  "but  once  more  in 
Matthew.  You  will  find  it  in  the  28th  chapter  and  10th  verse, 
'Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.' 
This,  I  believe,  is  claimed  by  all  as  the  commission  of  their 
Lord  ;  but  as  the  context  throws  no  light  on  the  form,  we  will 
pass  it  over  for  the  present.     Next  in  order  is  the  testimony  of 


T  II  K     I  N  Q  I    1  R  E  R     A  F  I  E  R    I  B  D  X  II  .  DO 

Mark.  IK'  repeats  faithfully  the  words  of  Matthew, 'I  have 
indeed  baptized  you  with  water,  but  He  shall  baptize  you  with 

the  Holy  I  rhost.'  And  Mark  x.  38-39,  we  have  a  repetition 
of  what  Matthew  says  about  the  cup  of  suffering,  and  the  bap- 
tism of  the  Holy  Ghost ;'  and  Mark  xi.  30,  the  question  as  to 
the  baptism  of  John,  whether  of  heaven  or  of  men  ?  And 
John  xvi.  If),  there  is  a  repetition  of  the  commission,  though 
in  a  somewhat  different  form.  It  reads,  '  Go  ye  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature;'  and  in  the 
19th  verse,  as  the  effects  of  the  preaching,  and  what  further 
was  to  be  done,  '  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be 
Baved  ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned/  We  have 
already  found  what  baptism  is  referred  to  here,  which  has  the 
power  to  seal  the  soul  unto  redemption." 

"I  would  like  to  read  it,"  said  Anna;  "and  supply  the  word 
immersed.  If  baptism  always  means  immerse,  it  means  it 
here  :  '  He  that  believeth  and  is  immersed  shall  be  saved ;  but 
he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.'  Could  that  mean 
dipped  or  immersed  in  xeater?1 

"  Do  you  believe  it  does,  Elder  Clayton  V  said  Halley. 

"  We  don't  believe  that  a  person  must  be  dipped  or  immersed 
in  water  to  be  saved,"  responded  Elder  Clayton.  "  0,  no,  of 
course  we  don't  believe  any  such  thing.  There  are  infants, 
they  never  are  immersed,  and  don't  need  to  be ;  and  I  suppose 
others  arc  saved,  too,  who  have  never  been  immersed.  0,  no, 
we  don't  believe  that!" 

"  Then  there  must  be  one  place  where  baptize  does  not  mean 
immerse,"  said  Halley ;  "  and  I  never  heard  a  sensible  person 
claim  that  there  was  any  dipping  with  the  Holy  Ghost!  I  have 
always  heard  that  Che  dipping  was  in  likeness  of  the  burial  of 
,f  3us  Christ '." 

"So  it  is,"  responded  Elder  Clayton.  "You  know  I  told 
you  I  was'nt  posted  on  these  points,  and  so  you  must  wait  until 
Brother  Burton  con*  s,  and  he  will  clear  it  all  up  I  am  sun." 


56  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  This,  then,"  said  Halley,  "  ends  the  testimony  of  Mark. 
Luke  is  next  in  order.  His  testimony  of  John's  baptism,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost  baptism,  is  essentially  the  same  as  that  of  Mat- 
thew and  Mark,  nor  does  he  throw  any  new  light  on  the  sub- 
ject. In  Luke  xii.  50,  we  have  a  new  text  in  part,  which 
reads,  '  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with,  and  how  am  I 
straitened  until  it  be  accomplished." 

"  I  thought/'  said  Elder  Clayton ;  "  that  there  was  a  baptism 
of  suffering,  somewhere,  and  here  it  is." 

"We  will  read  in  its  connection,"  said  Halley;  "and  see  if 
it  will  bear  that  construction.  '  I  am  come  to  send  fire  on  the 
earth,  and  what  will  I,  if  it  be  already  kindled?  But  I  have 
a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with,  and  how  am  I  straitened  until 
it  be  accomplished.  Suppose  ye  that  I  am  come  to  bring  peace 
on  earth  ?  I  tell  you,  nay,  but  divisions.  For,  from  hence- 
forth, there  shall  be  five  in  one  house,  divided  three  against 
two,  and  two  against  three.  The  father  shall  be  divided 
against  the  son,'  and  so  on.  Now  what  is  Christ  talking  about  ? 
Anna,  you  have  been  studying  this  passage  attentively,  can  you 
tell  us?" 

"  It  seems  to  be,"  she  replied  :  "  the  effects  of  the  Gospel  in 
the  earth,  how  they  shall  be  divided,  one  against  another ;  and 
I'm  sure  this  has  been  literally  fulfilled." 

"  Fire  and  sword,"  said  Halley;  "  are  always  figures  of  strife, 
divisions  and  persecutions.  Christ  did  not  literally  bring  these, 
but  they  arose  from  opposition  to  his  Gospel  in  the  hearts  of 
men.  When  God's  truth  comes  in  contact  with  error  and  sin, 
there  must  needs  be  a  clashing  of  the  two,  as  they  cannot  dwell 
together.  'And  what  will  I,  if  it  be  already  kindled?'  Al- 
ready the  contest  between  light  and  darkness  had  commenced. 
The  great  Light  of  the  world  had  come  into  it,  but  the  world 
hated  him,  and  would  not  receive  his  word,  nor  the  evidence 
of  his  mission.  He  cast  his  omniscient  eye  down  along  the 
shores  of  time,  and  saw  the  lighted  fagot,  the  reeking  sword 


THE     IN  QUI  HER     AFTER    TRUTH.  57 

greedy  for  massacre,  death  and  extermination,  and  all  the  hor- 
rors—  the  untold  miseries  through  which  the  truth  would 
Btruggle  on,  until  it  should  gain  the  ascendency,  and  cover  the 
face  of  the  whole  earth.  Truly  he  exclaimed,  'I  am  come  to 
send  fire  on  the  earth,  and  what  will  I,  if  it  he  already  kindled? 
But  before  this  can  come  to  pass,  I  have  a  mission  to  fulfill,  I 
must  still  continue  to  heal  the  sick,  and  cleanse  the  leper,  for  a 
testimony  of  the  truth;  and  soon  must  suffer,  die,  rise  again, 
and  ascend  to  my  Father,  to  accomplish  that  whereunto  I  am 
sent.  Then  I  will  reign  until  all  enemies  are  put  under  my 
feet.' " 

"  You  would  infer,"  said  Anna ;  "  that  baptism  there  com- 
prehends more  than  his  sufferings  ?  " 

"  Sufferings  alone,  do  not,  by  any  means,  to  my  mind,  Jill  the 
idea  in  the  connection,"  said  Halley.  "  He  is  speaking  of  the 
effects  of  his  Gospel,  and  the  atonement  which  he  has  made,  on 
the  world ;  and  although  his  sufferings  are  an  important  part, 
yet  nothing  he  did  was  unimportant ;  any  part  left  out,  would 
have  made  it  incomplete.  I  judge,  then,  as  he  was  speaking 
of  its  effects  as  a  whole  upon  the  world,  that  he  certainly  re- 
ferred to  it  here  as  a  whole,  when  he  said, '  Now  am  I  straitened 
till  it  be  accomplished.'  I  understand  this  baptism  to  mean 
his  mission,  through  which  he  established  his  kingdom,  and 
would  effect  his  end  —  which  end  was  the  world's  salvation." 

"This  view,"  said  Anna;  "gives  it  both  force  and  consist- 
ency. This  view  will  not  conflict  with  Matthew's  statement, 
as  it  was  through  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit  also,  that  this 
was  to  be  brought  about.  I  never  could  comprehend  how  a 
God,  though  clad  with  the  senses  and  feelings  of  a  man,  would 
speak,  in  view  of  mere  suffering  for  a  short  season,  with  more 
feeling  and  LTcatcr  shrinking  from  it,  than  men  often  do,  than 
thousands  of  his  followers  —  the  holy  martyrs  —  have  done. 
But  I  can  readily  conceive  how,  when  his  eye  took  in  the  whole 
i <ru  "•,  all  the  importance  and  bearing  of  man's  redemption  in 


58  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

the  economy  of  Jehovah's  plan ;  and  that  to  accomplish  it,  he 
must  struggle  hand  to  hand  with  death,  conquer  hell,  burst  the 
bands  of  the  grave  asunder,  and  rise,  triumphant  over  all,  up 
to  the  bosom  of  his  Father.  I  can  readily  conceive  how  he 
might  well  exclaim,  '  How  am  I  straitened  until  it  be  accom- 
plished ! '  In  doing  this,  he  was  doing  the  work  of  a  God  — 
none  but  God  could  accomplish  such  a  mission ;  but  human 
nature,  weak  as  it  is,  can  suffer  even  to  death,  and  still  not 
complain." 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Elder  Clayton  ;  "  that  this  text  is  a 
little  ambiguous  in  its  meaning ;  at  least  I  don't  know  as  I  can 
explain  it,  so  as  to  make  it  more  reasonable  than  the  view  you 
have  taken  of  it." 

'•  This,  then,  ends  the  testimony  of  Luke,"  said  Halley. 
"  In  the  first  chapter  of  John,  the  same  history  of  John  the 
Baptist  is  given.  But  in  John  iii.  22-26,  we  have  another  new 
text  on  this  subject.  'After  these  things,  came  Jesus  and  his 
disciples  into  the  land  of  Judea,  and  there  he  tarried  with  them 
and  baptized.  And  John  was  also  baptizing  in  Enon  near  to 
Salim,  because  there  was  much  water  there;  and  they  came 
and  were  baptized :  for  John  was  not  yet  cast  into  prison. 
Then  there  arose  a  question  between  some  of  John's  disciples 
and  the  Jews,  about  purifying.  And  they  came  unto  John, 
and  said  unto  him,  Rabbi,  he  that  was  with  thee  beyond  Jordan, 
to  whom  thou  bearest  witness,  behold,  the  same  baptizeth,  and 
all  men  come  to  him.' " 

"  Here  is  an  important  truth!"  exclaimed  Anna.  "  As  many 
times  as  I  have  read  this  chapter,  my  attention  was  never  called 
to  it  before.  We  have  found  by  a  course  of  reasoning,  and 
plain  and  direct  inference,  that  water  baptism  has  a  spiritual 
import.  What  that  spiritual  significance  is,  we  have  also  dis- 
covered. But  here  is  indisputable  testimony,  directly  to  the 
point,  'Then  there  arose  a  question  between  some  of  John's 
disciples  and  the  Jews,  about  purifying.     And  the  same  came 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER    TRUTH.  59 

unto  John,  and  Baid,  Rabbi,  he  that  was  with  thee  beyond 
Jordan,  the  same  baptizeth,  and  all  men  come  unto  him.'  The 
dispute  was  about  purifying,  and  that  purifying  was  baptism, 
Bymbolized  by  water  baptism." 

"  If  it  was  a  purifying  of  the  flesh,"  said  George;  "then  it 
follows  that  John  was  a  public  washer!  And  if  John  was  only 
a  public-  washer,  then  of  what  importance  must  have  been  this 
mission  of  bis  from  heaven?" 

••  Four  alternative  is  a  true  one,"  said  Halley;  "but  I  think 
few  would  like  to  choose  that  horn  of  the  dilemma.  The 
Jews,"  be  continued, "  were  familiar  with  all  the  ideas  of  puri- 
fying. Those  who  discussed  this  question,  were  Jews;  and 
their  rites  were  divided  into  two  great  classes — those  which  were 
significant  of  purification,  and  those  signifying  an  atonement 
for  sin.  Their  many  sacrifices  perpetually  bleeding  and  smoking 
on  their  altars,  pointed  them  forward  most  forcibly  to  the  great 
sacrifice  which  was  to  be  made  once  for  all;  and  when  they  ob-. 
served  their  rites  for  purification,  they  were  taught  the  neces- 
sity of  their  souls  being  clean  and  free  from  sin,  that  thereby 
they  might  be  made  acceptable  worshippers  before  God.  Many 
a  Jew  overlooked  this,  and  trusted  to  the  external  ordinance, 
mid  by  so  doing  lost  his  birthright.  Paul  told  them  that  the 
blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats,  and  the  ashes  of  an  heifer  sprink- 
ling the  unclean,  could  not  do  more  than  purify  the  flesh,  they 
wcif  mere  emblems  of  a  higher  and  spiritual  purification.  See 
Hcb.  is.  2o,  •  It  was  therefore  necessary  that  the  patterns  of 
things  in  tin  heavens  should  be  purified  with  these  (referring  to 
these  sacrifices),  but  the  heavenly  things  tin  mselv(  s  with  better 
sacrifices  than  these,' — which  sacrifice  was  Christ.  Under  the 
new  dispensation,  we  have  two  ordinances  comprehending  the 
meaning  of  the  Mosaic  ritual  —  the  old  dispensation.  The 
Lord's  Supper  points  us  most  feelingly  back  to  that  great  atone- 
ment which  has  hern  made  for  our  souls,  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  many  >acrifices  of  the  Jews  pointed  them  forward  to  the 


60  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

same  great  atonement  which  would  he  made  for  their  souls. 
Baptism  points  us  to  the  Holy  Spirit's  influence,  through  which 
we  are  cleansed,  made  pure,  and  fitted  for  the  companionship 
of  holy  beings  in  heaven,  as  the  washings  and  sprinklings  of 
the  Jews  pointed  them  to  the  same.  God's  people  are  one  at 
all  ages  of  the  world.  Not  one  jot  or  tittle  of  God's  law  ever 
has  or  ever  will  change ;  for  it  is  founded  on  principles  as  eter- 
nal as  God  himself.  As  a  sovereign,  he  has  reserved  to  him- 
self the  perfect  right  to  change  the  external  rites  or  forms, 
through  which  these  external  principles  are  revealed  to  the 
minds  of  men,  whenever  it  seemeth  to  him  good.  But  the. 
principles  themselves  are  a  part  of  God,  and  cannot  be  changed 
unless  God  himself  ceases  to  be.  He  has  never  yet  saved  a 
soul  from  Adam  down  to  this  hour,  except  through  faith  on  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  never  will,  except  through  faith  in  him 
until  the  end  of  time." 

"  What  a  beautiful  and  wonderful  system  is  this  ! "  exclaimed 
Anna;  her  eyes  fixed  and  dilating  as  though  looking  at  some- 
thing in  the  distance  intensely  interesting.  Before  the  retina 
of  her  mind,  was  the  Savior  lifted  up  on  the  Cross,  as  the  ser- 
pent was  lifted  up  in  the  wilderness ;  and  over  him  the  inscrip- 
tion in  letters  of  living  gold,  "  Look  and  Live,"  and  around 
him  were  the  millions  of  the  congregated  world ;  and  behold 
all  to  whom  were  given  eyes  of  faith,  saw  him  as  clearly  in  the 
future  as  in  the  past.  Glorious  sight !  Very  like  to  that,  we 
may  suppose,  which  will  burst  upon  our  astonished  Vision  in 
heaven  !     Half  unconsciously,  Anna  repeated  these  lines  : 

"There  saints  of  all  ages  in  harmony  meet, 
Their  Savior  and  brethren  transported  to  greet ; 
While  anthems  of  pleasm-e  unceasingly  roll, 
And  the  smile  of  the  Lord  is  the  feast  of  the  soul." 

"  Yes,"  said  Halley,  his  eye  moistening  by  memories 
awakened  by  these  beautiful  lines,  "  Yes,  all  are  one  in  Christ 
Jesus.     '  There  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  bond  nor  free,  male 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.        (il 

nor  female,  but  all  are  Christ's,  and  Christ's  is  God's.'     But  to 

resume  our  investigation.  In  Acts  there  are  numerous  examples 
of  water  baptism,  and  Spirit  baptism,  showing  that  they  were 
associated  together  to  some  extent,  in  the  minds  of  the  Apostles. 
Acts  x.  44  and  47,  'While  Peter  yet  spake  these  words,  the 
Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all  them  which  heard  the  word.  And  Peter 
said,  Can  any  man  forbid  water  that  these  should  not  be  bap- 
tized, which  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  well  as  we?" 

"  They  are  not  said  to  have  been  baptized  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  said  Elder  Clayton;  "it  speaks  of  being  baptized  with 
water." 

"  It  sa}*s  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  them,"  said  Halley.  "  Now 
turn  to  the  next  chapter,  Acts  xi.  15  and  16 :  Peter  is  here  ac- 
cused by  the  brethren  at  Jerusalem,  of  going  in  to  men  uncir- 
cumcised,  and  he  gave  them  an  account  of  the  matter.  In 
these  verses  is  a  repetition  of  their  baptism.  'And  as  I  began 
to  speak,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  them  as  on  us  at  the  beginning. 
Then  remembered  I  the  word  of  the  Lord,  how  he  said,  John 
truly  baptized  with  water,  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy 
Ghost.'  Does  he  not  call  the  falling  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon 
them,  a  baptism  ?" 

"  Most  certainly  he  does,"  said  Anna,  "  and  not  only  that, 
but  their  receiving  the  Spirit  baptism  was  considered  a  sufficient 
warrant,  and  used  as  an  argument  why  they  should  have  the 
water  baptism  bestowed  on  them.  God  bestowed  the  inward 
seal,  and  how  could  Peter  refuse  the  outward  ?  " 

"  There  is  much  more  to  this  effect,"  said  Halley,  "  in  Acts ; 
but  why  should  we  heap  proof  upon  proof?  We  have  proved 
that  John  baptized  with  water  because  Christ  should  thereafter 
baptize  with  the  Spirit  —  he  says,  'Therefore  am  I  come  bap- 
tizing with  water,'  and  now  we  have  proved  that  his  prophecy 
was  literally  fulfilled;  and,  to  save  time,  we  will  pass  over  for 
the  present,  the  remaining  texts  in  Acts,  and  proceed  to  the 
consideration  of  Romans." 
6 


G2  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

"  I  am  trying  to  recall,"  said  Anna,  "  the  truths  we  have 
already  found  in  the  Word  of  God.  They  are  that  the  mission 
of  John  was  to  evince  to  the  world  the  coming  of  the  two 
Divine  Powers  who  were  to  unite  their  efforts  in  man's  salva- 
tion—  the  Atoning  and  the  Sanctifying  Powers.  He  preached 
the  Coming  of  Jesus,  and  through  him  the  bestowal  of  that 
Divine  Spirit,  of  whose  purifying  influences  his  baptism  was 
the  type  or  shadow  We  have  also  found  that  Christ  did  per- 
sonally bestow  this  Spirit  on  his  disciples,  when  he  breathed 
upon  them  after  he  had  risen  from  the  dead :  and  afterward  the 
Holy  Spirit  fell  on  all  them  that  believed  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost, and  thereafter  also  on  those  who  faithfully  attended  the 
preaching  of  the  Word,  both  of  the  Jews  and  of  the  Gentiles." 

"  Who  is  that  ?  "  said  George,  pointing  down  the  way  towards 
a  horse  and  carriage  which  were  coming  leisurely  up  the  road, 
and  in  which  were  two  men ;  one  of  them  seemed  to  be  calling 
the  attention  of  his  fellow  to  the  broad  acres  of  meadow  and 
grain  upon  the  one  side,  and  to  the  neat,  comfortable  house 
upon  the  other. 

"  That  ? "  said  Elder  Clayton,  with  an  eager  start,  his  eye 
lighting  up  with  hope  and  joy;  "  Why  that  is  Brother  Burton's 
carriage,  and  Father  Longwind  is  with  him  too !  I'm  right 
glad  they've  come  just  now,  before  we  proceed  any  farther  with 
our  investigations.  I  think,  Mr.  Halley,  you  will  have  to  give 
up  Romans  to  our  side  of  the  question." 

"  I  will  do  so  willingly,  if  you  can  prove  your  right  to  it," 
replied  Hadley. 

"  0  yes ;  well,  I  think  that  will  be  quite  an  easy  task,"  re- 
sponded the  warm-hearted  man,  advancing  to  greet  his  clerical 
friends. 

Brother  Burton  was  a  quick-sighted,  energetic  little  man,  in 
every  respect,  both  mentally  and  physically  the  antipode  of 
Father  Longwind,  with  whom  we  have  formed  a  slight  acquaint- 
ance.    He  stepped  briskly  on  in  the  advance  of  his  friend's 


TUT.    ENQUIRES    AFTER    TRUTH.  63 

portly  figure,  and  gave  his  greeting  with  the  air  of  one  who 
had  more  important  business  on  his  mind  than  the  seeking  of  a 
good  dinner. 

••  Now  sharpen  your  weapons/'  said  George  to  Halley,  with 

a  droll  look  on  his  face,  "  for  yonder  is  the  great  expounder  of 
the  law  and  the  Gospel,  than  whom,  there  is  no  greater  in  these 
parts.  He  has  the  greatest  facility  of  jumping  conclusions,  and 
of  evading  arguments,  possible;  and  his  faculty  in  this  depart- 
ment beats  that  of  any  man  I  ever  saw." 

"But  truths  have  sharp  corners,  which  are  not  so  easily 
gotten  over,"  said  Halley. 

'•  Whoever  cannot  prove  his  position  from  the  word  of  God," 
Anna  remarked,  thoughtfully,  "  the  Word  must  slay  him.  You 
know  Paul  says  :  '  The  word  of  God  is  quick  and  powerful,  and 
sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword,  piercing  even  to  the  dividing 
asunder  of  the  soul  and  spirit,  and  of  the  joints  and  marrow, 
and  is  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart/ 
I  cannot  imagine  how  any  one  would  dare  to  twist  or  pervert 
God's  holy  truth  to  suit  his  own  narrow  views  of  things.  When 
there  is  a  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord/  man  should  drop  his  creeds, 
and  reverently  obey." 

"  If,  then,  Brother  Burton  makes  out  that  John's  baptism 
was  dipping  in  the  river  Jordan,  said  George,  "  I  suppose  you 
niu^t  be  dipped  also  ?  " 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Anna,  "  if  he  can  prove  that  to  be  so, 
I  shall  feel  it  to  be  my  duty  to  submit  to  the  same  act,  specified 
in  the  word  of  God,  and  sanctified  by  the  example  of  our  blessed 
Savior  —  if  I  can  find  out  what  that  act  was." 

"  Many  of  the  evidences  on  these  controverted  points,"  said 
Halley,  ''are  almost  unknown  among  the  masses.  People  are 
born — or  very  early  in  life  have  instilled  into  their  minds, 
certain  sectarian  prejudices,  impressed  into  their  very  natures 
from  their  earliest  being,  so  that  all  their  after  education,  at 
least  with  most  of  them,  seems  but  to  make  those  impressions 


G4:  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

deeper.  Many  people  are  monomaniacs  in  their  religious  faith ; 
they  might  read  their  Bibles  all  their  lives,  as  many  of  them 
do,  seeing  nothing,  and  comprehending  nothing  but  what  they 
twist  to  the  support  of  their  peculiar  creed.  They  are  self- 
determined  not  to  comprehend  it,  if  it  will  not  admit  of  a1  twist- 
ing— many  persons  I  have  talked  with,  good  reasoners  on  other 
subjects,  who  could  not,  or  would  not,  reason  at  all  on  their 
religious  principles ;  neither  could  they  perceive  the  absurdity 
or  consistency  of  points  at  issue.  The  moment  they  stepped  on 
the  ground  of  their  religious  faith,  all  was  confusion  and  ex- 
citement—  they  were  born  and  educated  so  and  so,  and  so  and 
so  they  must  die." 

"I  do  not  desire  to  be  one  of  that  class,"  said  Anna.  "I 
desire  to  be  ever  ready,  with  Peter,  to  give  an  answer  to  every 
one  that  asketh  me ;  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  me,  with 
meekness  and  fear  :  assured  that  God  never  does  anything  with- 
out a  reason  for  so  doing,  and  never  requires  us  to  do  anything 
without  making  the  reason  of  it  apparent,  even  as  a  foundation 
on  which  to  build  our  faith,  dealing  with  us  as  intelligent, 
reasoning  and  responsible  beings.  It  has  been  a  vexed  question 
with  me,  how  there  are  so  many  conflicting  faiths,  all  drawn 
from  the  Word  of  God.  From  what  I  can  learn  of  His  charac- 
ter as  revealed  in  the  material  universe,  I  should  not  suppose 
that  in  his  revealed  will  there  could  be  any  clashing  of 
principles." 

"  Study  his  word  as  you  would  any  other  book  with  which 
you  wish  to  become  acquainted,"  said  Halley;  "not  to  bend  it 
to  creeds,  but  to  bend  creeds  to  it ;  reason  upon  it  as  you  would 
upon  a  mathematical  problem — tracing  all  the  resemblances — ■ 
resting  assured  it  will  bear  the  test ;  and  see  as  you  become 
familiar  with  it,  if  it  is  not  as  harmonious  in  all  its  develop- 
ments, as  this  universe  teeming  with  worlds,  and  this  world 
teeming  with  objects  of  interest." 

"I  know  it  is,"  said  Anna;  "I  know  it  must  be.     Can  a 


T  11  K     IXQV  IE  E  R    AFT  EB    TRUTH.  65 

perfect  Being  produce  an  imperfect  thing?  No,  never.  The 
difficulty  must  be  in  the  comprehension  of  man,  though  not 
necessarily  ;  for  Qbld,  who  well  knew  his  capacities  of  compre- 
hension, adapted  his  revelation  to  suit  those  capacities,  and  all 
the  circumstances  in  which  he  should  ever  be  involved,  thus 
leaving  him  without  excuse.  May  (rod  help  us  rightly  to  coni- 
prehend  his  word,  and  his  truth  !" 


CHAPTER  V. 


"Men  may  live  fools,  but  fools  they  cannot  die."- 

"Truth,  crushed  to  earth,  shall  rise  again, 
The  eternal  years  of  God  are  hers ; 
But  Error,  wounded,  writhes  with  pain, 
And  dies  among  his  worshippers." 


Within  a  mile  of  the  Clayton  house,  over  the  hill,  in  a 
quiet  nook,  was  a  humble  cottage,  in  which  lived  a  poor  widow 
and  an  only  child. 

The  widow  supported  herself  by  cultivating  the  little  garden 
plat  around  the  house,  and  by  such  chance  bits  of  sewing  as 
she  could  pick  up  in  the  country  around. 

At  the  best  it  was  a  precarious  subsistence ;  and  had  it  not 
been  fur  the  care  and  kindness  of  a  friend,  she  must  have  often 
suffered  for  the  necessities  of  life.  By  the  mysterious  dealing's 
of  an  over-ruling  Providence,  who  generally  orders  misfortunes 
to  come  not  single-handed,  she  had  been,  in  one  short  month, 
stripped  of  property,  widowed  —  and  made  childless  almost  — 
there  was  only  left  one  drooping  —  dying  bud  of  care  —  not  of 
6*  E 


66  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

promise.  Two  children  she  had  seen  placed  by  the  side  of  her 
husband  underneath  the  sod ;  and  the  remaining  one  was 
spared  her  for  a  time,  to  be  not  a  help  in  her  helplessness,  but 
a  burden.  The  malignant  fever  which  swept  the  others  away, 
left  this  sorrowing  one  a  cripple,  and  as  dependent  on  his 
mother's  care,  as  when  a  babe  at  her  bosom. 

Crushed  and  despairing,  she  wandered  away  from  the  scene 
of  her  deep  misfortunes,  and  for  a  number  of  years,  had  lived 
in  this  humble  cottage,  living  solely  to  minister  to  the  wants 
of  her  child,  and  because  the  "  Lord  will,"  she  always  added, 
with  a  look  of  marked  resignation  toward  heaven.  The  Lord 
loveth  whom  he  chasteneth.  This  may  have  been  the  reason 
why  his  rod  was  laid  so  heavily  on  her ;  but  as  gold  is  tried  in 
the  fire,  so  she  came  out  from  under  her  afflictions,  bright  and 
shining  as  the  purest  metal.  It  was  from  her  that  Anna  first 
received  those  deep  religious  impressions  which  gave  her  no 
rest,  until  she  found  it  at  her  Savior's  feet.  When  she  began 
to  be  troubled  with  her  sense  of  guilt,  and  unreconciled  state 
of  heart  toward  God,  she  came  to  widow  Giles  with  her  doubts 
and  fears.  The  widow  kindly  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  led 
her  out  into  the  garden,  and  there  with  the  solemn  twilight 
around  them,  and  the  stars  peering  down  through  the  grey 
above  them,  she  laid  the  case  before  her  Father  and  her  God — 
pleading  his  promises — the  Lord  has  promised,  and  will  he  not 
fulfill  ?  "  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden, 
and  I  vrill  give  you  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn 
of  me ;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart :  and  ye  shall  find 
rest  to  your  souls.  For  my  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is 
light.  Whatsoever  ye  ask  believing,  ye  receive  it,  it  shall  be 
done  unto  you;"  and  like  an  indulgent  Father  and  a  merciful 
God,  he  remembered  his  word,  and  spoke  peace  to  the  troubled 
soul.  Ever  since  that  hour,  that  place  had  been  a  consecrated 
one  to  Anna,  and  the  widow  Giles  a  friend  and  counsellor. 
After  tea,  on  the  afternoon  referred  to  in  the  last  chapter, 


THE    INQUIRES    AFTER    TRUTH.  G7 

Anna  took  a  bundle  of  clothing  she  had  provided  for  them,  and 
went  over  to  the  widow's  cottage,  thinking  of  the  new  world  of 
thought  and  feeling  which  had  opened  to  her,  since  she  walked 
that  path  with  a  load  upon  her  soul,  like  a  mountain,  pressing 
her  down  to  the  earth.  It  was  but  a  few  months  since,  but  she 
had  lived  more  within  that  time,  than  in  years  of  her  previous 
existence.  As  she  approached  the  cottage  gate,  she  heard  her 
friend  singing  in  tones  of  peculiar  pathos  : 

''Parting  soul,  the  floods  await  thee, 
And  the  billows  round  thee  roar! 
Yet  rejoice — the  Holy  City 
Stands  on  yon  celestial  shore. 

Linger  not,   the  stream  is  narrow, 
Though  its  cold  dark  waters  rise: 
He  who  passed  its  floods  before  thee, 
Guides  thy  path  to  yonder  skies." 

The  mother  sat  rocking  the  suffering  child  in  her  arms, 
whose  little  race  of  life  was  almost  run,  and  soothing  him  with 
•words,  directing  his  thoughts  to  that  happy  country,  where 
there  was  no  more  pain,  and  sorrow,  and  parting.  As  Anna 
entered,  she  motioned  to  her  to  go  on,  as  she  laid  her  bundle 
on  the  table,  and  seated  herself  by  her  side. 

u  Will  it  be  long  before  I  go  over  that  river,  mother  ?"  asked 
the  child  earnestly,  looking  up  into  that  face,  which  could  not 
conceal  a  pang,  at  the  thought  of  giving  up  the  last  one  object 
of  her  affections. 

"  God  only  knows,  my  child,"  she  answered,  with  a  quivering 
lip,  and  forcing  down  the  murmur  in  her  heart,  told  him  of  his 
joy  and  blessedness,  when  he  should  go  to  be  with  the  angels, 
and  to  become  like  them ;  and  meet  his  father  and  little  sisters 
there ;  and  by  and  by,  she  would  come  too ;  God  willing,  she 
hoped  it  would  not  be  long  —  then  they  would  be  an  unbroken 
family  in  heaven. 


(58  A.\NA    CLAYTON;     OB, 

Comforting  thought !  Worth  more  to  us,  when  we  feel  the 
hand  of  death  clutching  at  our  heart-strings — as  all  must  sooner 
or  later — than  mountains  of  gold  and  gems,  though  they  should 
outweigh  all  the  available  riches  of  earth  !  Poor  widow  !  In 
your  lonely  home,  your  only  earthly  treasure  pluming  its  wings 
to  flee  away  from  your  embracing  arms — and  all  the  remaining 
journey  of  life  looking  dark  and  drear — your  two  mites,  even  of 
good  deeds  and  cheering  words,  will  some  day  outweigh  the 
wealth  of  many  a  Dives  rolling  in  splendor,  who  by  and  by 
will  wake  up  in  torment ! 

"  Will  the  angels  meet  me  on  the  way  ? "  asked  the  child, 
rolling  his  earnest  eyes  toward  the  cloud-draped  west.  "  Will 
they  meet  me  up  yonder  in  those  golden  clouds,  mother,  that  I 
may  not  have  to  go  alone  ? "  Ah  !  poor  mortals  !  we  are  but 
children  —  all.  Whether  we  have  lived  many  years,  or  few 
years — we  tremble  alike  before  the  untried  path — the  uncertain 
leap  —  fearing  to  lean  upon  the  staff  of  Faith,  and  to  trust  our 
all  to  the  keeping  of  Him  who  has  promised  to  sustain  us,  and 
to  bear  us  safely  over  to  the  portals  of  peace.  "  Fear  not," 
saith  the  Great  Comforter,  "  behold  I  am  with  you,  my  rod,  and 
my  staff,  they  shall  comfort  you." 

The  scene  at  the  cottage  brought  visibly  before  Anna's  mind, 
another  long  since  passed,  and  where  the  characters  were  re- 
versed. The  mother  was  dying  triumphing  and  exultant  in  a 
Savior's  peace-speaking  and  joy-imparting  love;  and  the  child, 
tearful  and  trembling  before  the  gloomy  sojourn,  which  awaited 
her,  in  this  vale  of  tears. 

And  as  Anna  was  on  her  way  home,  she  took  from  her  bosom 
a  locket,  and  sitting  down  by  the  brook-side,  gazed  long  and 
earnestly  on  this  only  relic  left  her  of  her  long-dead  mother. 
She  gazed  till  the  tears  blinded  her  eyes,  and  the  scene  before 
her  was  a  dimly-lighted  room,  in  which  was  a  bed,  and  on  that 
bed  a  form  stiffening  in  the  embrace  of  death. 

"Is  that  a  cherished  relic  of  a  friend,  Anna?"  said  a  voice 
at  her  side. 


Till.     [NQUIRBB     AFTER     TRUTH.  69 

Slightly  starting,  and  brushing  away  her  tears,  she  replied: 
i   have  a  mother,  -Mr.  HaUey,  and  can  better  answer  that 
question  than  I." 

••A  mother  is  certainly  the  most  precious  and  the  truest  of 
all  earthly  friends.  But,  Anna,  you  do  not  mean  that  you  have 
no  mother  ?  " 

"  I  ? — I  never  knew  a  mother's  love — before  I  learned  to  prize 
her,  she  was  gone." 

"  Is  it  possible  I"  replied  Halley ;  "  are  you  not " 

••Anna  Clayton?"  she  said,  interrupting  him;  "  no,  that  is 
but  a  foster  name.  Look  here,"  she  continued,  touching  a 
spring  which  opened  on  the  back  of  the  locket,  "  this  is  all  I 
know  of  rny  history." 

Halley  took  it,  and  in  a  curl  of  glossy  black  hair,  read  these 
words  traced  with  a  feeble  hand. 

••  My  child,  after  the  hand  which  writes  these  lines  is  cold 
and  stiffened  in  death,  let  this  be  to  you  a  token  of  a  mother's 
love,  and  of  her  earnest  prayers,  that  in  taking  her  name,  you 
may  not  inherit  her  errors  or  her  misfortunes. 

Ellen  Forbes." 

This  seemed  not  a  little  to  surprise  Mr.  Halley,  and  he  re-read 
it ;  then  gazing  on  the  features,  beautiful,  yet  strongly  marked 
with  sorrow,  exclaimed,  "  Ellen  Forbes  !  What  mysteries  truly 
throng  our  pathway  at  every  turn !  Ellen  Forbes !  Excuse 
me,  Anna,  I  was  altogether  unprepared  for  this  !  But  I  cannot 
tell  you  now,  at  another  time  perhaps  I  will  explain  myself. 
Shall  we  not  go  up  to  the  house  ?  the  dew  is  falling,  and  I  came 
out  to  seek  you,  as  our  clerical  friends  are  anxious  to  resume 
the  investigation ;  and  as  you  are  the  one  to  be  particularly 
benefited,  it  is  necessary  you  should  be  present."  Thus  say- 
ing, he  drew  her  hand  within  his  arm,  and  they  walked  almost 
silently  homeward. 


70  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

Can  it  be  possible,  thought  Anna,  that  he  knows  anything 
about  my  mother's  history !  0,  what  wealth  it  would  be  to 
know  that  I  have  a  relative  on  earth — perhaps  a  mother's  sister, 
or  a  cousin !  The  question  was  almost  asked,  but  the  moon- 
beams revealed  to  her  that  her  companion  was  unnaturally  pale 
and  self-absorbed ;  and  with  an  effort  she  restrained  her  im- 
patience. 

"  What  shall  I  say  to  you,  young  truants  ?  "  said  Elder  Clay- 
ton, meeting  them  at  the  door  with  his  kindly  smile.  "  Here 
we  have  been  waiting  with  Romans  this  hour,  —  Mr.  Halley, 
take  this  seat.  Brother  Burton,  I  think  that  remark  you  made 
just  now  was  quite  striking.  I  wish  you  would  repeat  it  to 
our  young  friends." 

Brother  Burton  glanced  furtively  at  the  self-poised  air  of  his 
young  antagonist,  and  having  hemmed  once  or  twice,  remarked 
that  it  certainly  was  a  very  important  truth.  "  I  would  not  be 
afraid  to  risk  the  argument  on  this  point  alone,"  said  he. 
"  When  we  wish  to  know  the  meaning  of  an  English  word,  we 
go  to  the  Dictionary,  and  with  its  explanation  we  are  bound  to 
be  satisfied.  So  when  we  want  to  know  the  meaning  of  a 
Greek  word,  we  must  go  to  a  Greek  Dictionary  or  Lexicon,  and 
that  settles  the  matter  at  once.  If  the  Lexicon  says  that  j3arf- 
tfifw  (baptizo),  means  to  dip,  to  plunge,  to  immerse,  then  immer- 
sion is  baptism,  and  only  immersion  is  baptism ;  but  if  it  says, 
to  pour,  to  sprinkle,  then  I  yield  the  argument." 

"George,  have  you  a  Greek  Lexicon  ?"  asked  Elder  Clayton. 

"  Yes,  I  have  two — Donnegan's,  and  Robinson's  of  the  New 
Testament. 

"  Robinson,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "  I  think  your  professor  in 
languages,  when  I  visited  you  at  college,  told  me,  Dr.  Robin- 
son was  the  best  Greek  scholar  in  the  country.  Is  he  not  good 
authority,  Brother  Burton  ?  " 

"  I  think  it  must  be  admitted,"  replied  Brother  Burton, 
"  that  he  has  very  few  superiors  in  the  classics,  and  in  Biblical 
literature." 


THK    INQUIRES    AFTER    TRUTH.  71 

'•  Let  as  see  then,  George,  what  he  says  about  this  matter," 
continued  Elder  Clayton. 

"  BortrtC"  (baptizo\  to  dip  in,  to  smk,  to  immerse,  to  wash) 
to  lave,  to  cleansi  by  washing,  to  baptize,  to  administer  the  rite 
of  baptism,  either  that  of  John  or  of  Christ." 

••  Now  what  can  our  Pedo  friends  say  to  that?"  exclaimed 
Brother  Burton  with  an  air  of  triumph. 

"  You  say  truly,"  remarked  Halley,  "  that  Mr.  Robinson  is 
the  best  Greek  scholar  in  our  country ;  he  truly  is  inferior  to 
none,  and  his  researches  have  been  very  extended  in  this  de- 
partment, and  also  in  that  of  Biblical  literature.  Hand  me  the 
book,  if  you  please,  George,  and  let  me  see  what  he  says  in  a 
note  under  the  word  partTi£u  (baptizd)  :  here  it  is,  page  119 :  it 
reads  :  "  In  the  earliest  Latin  versions  of  the  Xew  Testament, 
as  tor  example,  the  Itala,  which  Augustine  regarded  as  the 
best  of  all,  and  which  goes  back  apparently  to  the  second  cen- 
tury, and  to  usage  connected  with  the  apostolic  age,  the  Greek 
verb  ^cwmfw  is  uniformly  given  in  the  Latin  form  baptizo,  and 
is  never  translated  by  immergo  or  any  like  word;  showing  that 
there  was  something  in  the  rite  of  baptism  to  which  the  latter 
did  not  correspond." 

"  If  I  were  a  lawyer,  as  I  expect  to  be  some  day,"  said 
George ;  "  I  should  ask  Mr.  Robinson  what  he  means  by  saying 
that  a  thing  is  so  and  so,  and  then  immediately  thereafter  say- 
ing it  an't  so." 

"  Yes,"  said  Brother  Burton,  "  here  he  says  it  means  to  dip  ; 
and  there  in  the  note,  that  it  don't  mean  to  dip  !  Did  you  ever 
see  such  inconsistency?" 

"A  man  of  his  standing  and  reputation,"  said  Halley,  "  would 
not  risk  it  rashly  by  such  a  contradiction.  Let  us  turn  to  his 
Preface,  and  see  what  he  says  about  the  diiference  between  the 
(  lassie  Greek  and  the  Hellenistic  or  New  Testament  Greek. 
Yon  will  bear  in  mind,  that  in  this  Lexicon  he  gives  first  the 
Classical  signification  of  words,  and  then  secondly  the  force 


72  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

they  have  in  the  Hellenistic  Greek  —  just  as  George  read  of 
3artT,t^'w  —  first,  to  dip,  to  sink,  to  immerse,  &c. ;  and  then,  sec- 
ondly, to  baptize,  to  administer  the  rite  of  baptism,  either  that 
of  John  or  of  Christ.  If  you  were  reading  Xenophon  or  Plato, 
here  is  your  standard  of  the  meaning  of  words,  as  truly  given 
as  by  any  lexicographer  living ;  but  if  you  are  reading  the  New 
Testament  it  will  not  do  in  all  cases  to  apply  the  same  meaning ; 
it  would  in  many  instances  make  the  veriest  nonsense,  and 
therefore  he  has  given  us  a  second  meaning,  which  the  context 
and  parallel  passages  demand  for  such  words.  But  let  us  hear 
what  Mr.  Robinson  himself  says  about  this  matter.  Preface, 
page  5  :  '  In  respect  to  the  Greek,  it  should  be  borne  in  mind 
that  there  are  three  great  epochs  which  mark  the  progress  of 
the  language;  through  all,  or  some  of  which,  the  different 
meanings  and  uses  of  a  word  can  be  traced  with  more  or  less 
distinctness.  These  are  its  youth,  in  the  heroic  or  epic  poems 
of  Homer  and  Hesiod,  with  which  may  be  joined  the  Ionic 
prose  of  Herodotus;  its  prime,  in  the  palmy  days  of  Attic  ele- 
gance and  purity,  as  exhibited  in  the  great  tragedians,  and  in 
the  prose  of  Thucydides,  Xenophon,  Plato;  and  its  decline, 
after  the  Macedonian  conquest,  and  still  later  under  the  Roman 
dominion.  In  this  latter  period,  the  breaking  up  of  the  various 
independent  states,  the  mingling  together  in  armies  of  soldiers 
enlisted  from  every  quarter,  and  the  founding  of  colonies  and 
large  cities  peopled  with  inhabitants  from  every  part  of  Greece, 
and  also  from  foreign  lands,  could  not  fail  to  produce  great 
changes  in  the  language  of  different  communities,  which,  by 
natural  consequence,  would  speedily  be  reflected  in  the  language 
of  books.  *  *  *  The  language  of  the  New  Testament  is  the 
later  Greek  language,  as  spoken  by  foreigners  of  the  Hebrew 
stock,  and  applied  by  them  to  subjects  on  which  it  had  never  been 
employed  by  native  Greek  writers.  The  simple  statement  of 
this  fact  suggests  at  once  what  the  character  of  this  idiom  must 
be ;  and  might,  one  would  think,  have  saved  volumes  of  con- 


1  HE     I  \  <  |  D  1  It  E  R    AFTER    TRUTH.  73 

troversy.  The  Jews  came  in  contact  with  the  Greeks  only  at 
and  after  the  Macedonian  conquests;  ami  were  therefore  con- 
versant only  with  the  later  Greek.  They  learned  it  from  the 
intercourse  of  life,  in  commerce,  in  colonies,  in  cities  founded 
like  Alexandria,  where  the  inhabitants  wen;  drawn  together 
from  Asia  as  well  as  from  Greece;  and  it  was  therefore  the 
gpokt  a  language  of  common  life,  and  not  that  of  books,  with 
which  they  became  acquainted.  But  they  spoke  it  as  foreigners, 
as  Hebrews,  and  therefore  it  could  not  fail  to  have  in  general  a 
coloring  of  the  Hebrew,  or  rather  of  the  later  Aramaean,  which 
was  their  vernacular  tongue.  Jews  who  spoke  Greek,  are  called 
in  the  New  Testament  'F.VK^viatai  (Hellenist!)  Hellenists;  and 
hence  in  modern  usage,  since  the  time  of  the  younger  Scaliger, 
the  Jewish  Greek  (which  is  that  of  the  New  Testament)  has 
not  unaptly  been  termed  Hellenistic.    *    *    * 

"  '  The  writers  of  the  New  Testament  with  the  exception  of 
Paul,  and  partially,  perhaps,  of  Luke,  were  unlearned  men; 
and,  like  the  rest  of  their  countrymen,  knew  the  Greek  language 
only  from  the  intercourse  of  common  life,  and  not  from  books. 
With  them,  therefore,  the  Hebrew  element  which  mingled  in 
their  idiom,  would  naturally  have  great  prominence;  although, 
Bince  their  writings  are  not  translated  from  a  Hebrew  original, 
it  is  not  here  as  strongly  marked  as  in  the  Scptuagint.    *  ■  *   * 

" '  The  writers  of  the  New  Testament  applied  the  Greek 
language  to  subjects  on  which  it  had  never  been  employed  by 
native  Greek  writers.  No  native  Greek  had  ever  written  on 
Jewish  affairs,  nor  on  Jewish  theology  and  ritual.  Hence  the 
Seventy,  in  their  translation  (the  Scptuagint),  had  often  to 
mi i>l >ij  Greek  words  as  the  signs  of  things  and  ideas,  which 
i, *  r<t' *  fore  had  been  expressed  only  in  the  Hebrew.  In  such  a 
they  could  only  select  those  Greek  words  which  most  nearly 
corresponded  to  the  Hebrew,  lea  ring  the  different  shade  or  degn  <■ 
of  signification  to  be  gathered  by  the  reader  from  the  context. 
*  *  lint  beyond  this,  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  were 
7 


74  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

to  be  the  instruments  of  making  known  a  new  revelation  —  a 
new  dispensation  of  mercy  to  mankind.  Here  was  opened  a 
wide  circle  of  new  ideas  and  new  doctrines  to  be  developed,  for 
which  all  human  language  was  as  yet  too  poor,  and  this  poverty 
was  to  be  done  away,  even  as  at  the  present  day  on  the  discovery 
and  culture  of  a  new  science,  chiefly  by  enlarging  the  significa- 
tion and  application  of  words  already  in  use,  rather  than  by  the 
formation  of  new  ones.  *  *  The  New  Testament,  then,  was 
written  by  Hebrews,  aiming  to  express  Hebrew  thoughts,  con- 
ceptions and  feelings,  in  the  Greek  tongue.  Their  idiom,  con- 
sequently, in  soul  and  spirit,  is  Hebrew ;  in  its  external  form, 
Greek,  and  that  more  or  less  pure,  according  to  the  facilities 
which  an  individual  writer  may  have  possessed  for  acquiring 
fluency  and  accuracy  of  expression  in  that  tongue.' " 

"  But  I  don't  see  as  this  bears  very  much  upon  the  point," 
said  Brother  Burton ;  "  he  an't  talking  about  the  word  fiartTifa 
(b'aptizo)." 

"  Is  he  not?"  replied  Halley,  "when  he  tells  you  that  much 
of  the  New  Testament,  or  Hellenistic  Greek  has  not  a  classical 
significance ;  and  then  when  you  come  to  the  word  ^artr^io, 
tells  you  in  his  second  meaning  that  in  the  New  Testament  it 
only  means  to  bajitize,  to  administer  the  rite  of  baptism,  and  in 
the  note  gives  you  further  evidence  that  it  has  not  a  classiccd 
meaning  ?  " 

"  It  seems,"  said  George,  "  that  this  opinion  of  his  is  based 
not  only  on  the  context  where  the  word  is  found  in  the  New 
Testament,  but  also  on  the  fact  that  in  all  the  early  Latin  trans- 
lations, of  which  the  Itala  is  one,  the  word  is  transcribed  and 
not  translated." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Halley,  "  that  is  so,  and  does  it  not  have 
great  force  —  is  it  not  significant?  When  you  recollect  the 
Latin  language  was  then  the  vernacular  tongue  of  a  heathen 
nation,  and  was  as  poor  in  words  expressing  spiritual  ideas,  as 
that  of  any  other  heathen  nation,  you  will  at  once  discover  the 


THE     INQUIRER    AFTER     TRUTH.  75 

force  of  this  reason.  The  Greek  was  also  the  language  of  a 
heathen  nation,  although  it  had  been  appropriated  by  the  Jews 
in  their  Septuagint  translation  and  therein  somewhat  Hebraized. 
The  purely  Greek  sense  of  the  word  Parfn^w  is,  as  we  have 
learned,  to  dip,  to  immerse  ;  and  in  the  Latin  there  are  intingo 
and  immergo,  which  also  mean  to  dip,  and  to  immerse.  Then 
if  the  translators  understood  &a.7t*i£u  in  its  purely  Greek,  or 
classical  sense,  how  easy  it  would  have  been  to  have  conveyed 
the  idea  of  dipping  or  immersing  to  the  mind  of  a  Roman,  by 
simply  rendering  it  intingo  or  immergo  ;  and  would  they  not,  in 
all  common  sense,  most  assuredly  have  done  so,  or  have  rendered 
it  in  some  way,  if  they  conceived  it  to  have  a  sjjecijic  meaning, 
corresponding  to  their  conceptions  of  its  true  import,  and  thus 
have  conveyed  some  definite  and  specific  idea  to  the  mind  of  the 
reader  ?  Their  transcribing  it,  without  translation,  is  a  strong 
and  irrefragable  argument  that  there  was  nothing  in  the  Latin 
tongue  corresponding  to  the  Christian  meaning  and  import  of 
the  word." 

"  There  must  be  translations  into  other  languages,"  said 
George,  "dating  back  to  about  that  time;  what  is  their  testi- 
mony ?  " 

"  You  will  find  their  testimony  quite  uniform,"  said  Halley, 
smiling,  "  though  more  forcible.  For  example,  there  is  the  Pe- 
shito,  a  Syriac  version,  and  the  oldest  translation  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment extant,  which,  probably,  was  made  soon  after  the  death  of 
the  Evangelist  John.  The  testimony  of  James  Murdock,  D.  D., 
of  Xew  Haven,  as  stated  in  the  Bibliotheca  Sacra,  I  have  in  my 
room ;  I  will  get  it  and  see  what  he  says.  Here  it  is  (vol.  vii. 
p.  733) :  '  The  Peshito  was  probably  made  in  the  very  next 
age  after  the  Apostles,  and  by  apostolic  men ;  and  in  a  language 
almost  identical  with  the  vernacular  tongue  of  Jesus  Christ  and 
his  disciples.  And  it  may  be  supposed  that  the  Apostles  them- 
selves, and  all  the  first  preachers  of  the  Gospel  among  the 
Syrians,  adopted  this  phraseology,  and  of  course  that  the  trans- 


76  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

lators  of  the  Peshito  had  apostolic  authority  for  their  mode  of 
designating  baptism.  The  Peshito  uniformly  renders  the  Greek 
word  |3anrtfw  by  a  Syriac  verb  meaning  '  to  stand,'  in  all  the 
seventy-three  (73)  places  where  jScwmcfco  occurs.  And  this  verb 
in  the  Peshito  is  never  used  with  reference  to  anything  besides 
baptism,  with  this  one  exception  that  the  Greek  word  atv%oi 
(sttUos),  a  column,  a  pillar,  in  all  the  four  places  in  which  it 
occurs  in  the  New  Testament,  is  rendered  by  a  derivative  of 
this  verb.  This  derivative  signifies  a  pillar  or  column  that 
stands  erect  and  firm/  '  He  further  proves/  continued  Halley, 
'  that  this  Syriac  word  which  is  only  used  to  designate  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism,  has  only  the  signification,  to  stand,  to  be 
established,  and  the  like." 

"  I'll  warrant  you  these  are  all  Pedos,  every  one  of  them," 
exclaimed  Brother  Burton. 

"But  where  is  your  Baptist  authority,  where  your  Baptist 
scholar  who  has  consulted  Syriac,  and  found  this  to  be  false  ?  " 
responded  Halley.  "  Is  it  to  be  supposed  that  men  like  Dr. 
James  Murdock,  and  scores  of  others,  would  risk  their  repu- 
tation as  scholars,  by  stating  things  which  other  scholars  would 
know  to  be  untrue  ?  Or  their  characters  as  Christians  by 
giving  birth  to  a  falsehood,  inculcating  error,  and  advocating  a 
lie  ?  They  would  be  immediately  exposed  and  disgraced.  But 
what  says  Prof.  Moses  Stuart  about  this  translation  ?  You  will 
find  it  in  the  Biblical  Kepository,  vol.  iii.  p.  362.  'This 
version  is  the  oldest  of  all  the  translations  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment that  are  extant;  for  in  all  probability  it  should  be  dated 
during  the  first  half  of  the  second  century  (from  100-140, 
A.  D.).  Withal,  it  is  admitted  by  those  who  are  able  to  con- 
sult it,  to  be  one  of  the  most  faithful  and  authentic  of  all  the 
ancient  versions.  How  docs  this  translate  the  word  in  question 
(jtfartriC")  ?  Only  and  always,  by  a  word  which  corresponds 
to  the  Hebrew  ~\J2V  (ah-math)  ;  the  Chaldee  "]f2V  («/'-»'"^0/ 
and  the  same  word  in  Arabic.     This  is  a  very  remarkable  cir- 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  77 

curnstance,  for  the   Syriac  has  a  word  like  the  Chalclee  y2'£ 

(tse-vhii);    and  the  corresponding  Hebrew  ^t3     (ta-rlml) ; 

which  means  to  plunge,  to  dip,  to  immerse,  &c.  Why  should  it 
employ  this  word  to  render  j3artrt^w  ?  *  *  The  Hebrew,  Chal- 
dee  and  Arabic,  all  agree  in  assigning  to  the  same  (Syriac) 
word,  the  sense  of  the  Latin,  stare, prostare,fulcire,  and  robo- 
rare,  ("to  stand,"  "to  stand  fast,"  "to  sustain,"  "to  make 
strong.") 

"  '  We  come  almost  necessarily  to  the  conclusion,  then,  inas- 
much as  the  Syriac  has  an  appropriate  word,  which  signifies 
to  dtp,  plunge,  immerse,  and  yet  it  is  never  employed  in  the 
Peshito,  that  the  translator  did  not  deem  it  important  to  desig- 
nate any  particular  mode  of  baptism,  but  only  to  designate  the 
rite  by  a  term  which  evidently  means  confirm,  establish,  etc. 
Baptism,  then,  in  the  language  of  the  Peshito,  is  the  rite  of 
confirmation,  simply,  while  the  manner  of  this  is  apparently 
left  without  being  at  all  expressed.'  So  says  Prof.  M.  Stuart," 
continued  Halley,  "  than  whom  there  were  few  who  were  better 
able  to  judge;  and  whose  philological  exposition  of  the  word 
parfr^u,  your  Baptist  writers  have  regarded  very  highly,  and 
used  as  authority  in  as  far  as  they  could  make  it  tend  to 
strengthen  their  position. 

"Now  let  us  read  Mark  xvi.  16,  according  to  the  Baptist  ren- 
dering of  the  word,  and  then  the  Syriac.  '  He  that  believeth 
and  is  immersed  shall  be  saved,  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall 
be  damned ;'  says  the  Baptist,  making  two  distinct  conditions, 
as  necessary  to  salvation,  the  first  a  spiritual  and  the  other  an 
external  rite.  Ask  them  if  they  believe  this,  they  say,  no; 
but  still  they  persist  in  giving  it  this  rendering,  which  indeed 
they  must  do,  or  immediately  give  up  the  controversy  about  the 
word.  I  have  often  heard  the  text  quoted  from  the  pulpit,  to 
enforce  the  importance  of  immersion  in  this  language ;  '  lie 
that  believeth  and  is  immersed  shall  be  saved  f  but  question 
7* 


78  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

those  very  same  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  if  they  believe  im- 
mersion necessary  to  salvation,  and  they  ■will  reply,  '  No  —  no, 
we  don't  believe  it  necessary  to  salvation,  but  then  here  is  the 
test,  and  what  will  you  do  with  it  ?'  They  pretend  not  to  be- 
lieve it,  and  yet  they  preach  it  indirectly  from  the  pulpit,  and 
directly  in  their  actions  and  exclusiveness ;  and  actions  speak 
louder  and  more  forcibly  than  words,  you  know. 

"  The  Syriac  translation  would  read  thus  :  '  He  that  believeth 
and  standeth  fast  in  his  faith,  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  be- 
lieveth not  shall  be  damned.'  Which  of  these  views  commends 
itself  to  the  enlightened  understanding  and  conscience  ?  Which 
harmonizes  with  the  teachings  of  the  word  of  God  ?  For  the 
first  you  may  search  the  whole  Bible  through,  and  you  cannot 
find  a  parallel  text  to  support  it.  But  the  second,  in  spirit  and 
in  precept,  harmonizes  with  every  part  of  the  word  of  God. 
Jesus  says  in  Matthew,  '  He  that  endureth  to  the  end,  shall  be 
saved;'  and  again,  -when  he  appeared  to  John  in  the  Isle  of 
Patmos,  '  He  that  overcometh  and  keepeth  my  works  unto  the 
end,  to  him  -will  I  give  power,'  etc.  There  must  be  a  con- 
tinuance in  believing,  a  holding  fast  unto  the  end,  and  this  we 
are  enabled  to  do  through  the  assisting  agency  of  the  Spirit  of 
God." 

"  Is  not  this  Syriac  view  like  that  we  have  found  by  an  ex- 
amination of  the  English  translation?"  asked  Anna,  no  longer 
able  to  restrain  her  interest  in  the  controversy,  and  seating  her- 
self by  the  table.  "  I  can  see  but  one  difficulty,  and  that  is 
the  phraseology  attending  this  word  jSaTmfu,  l  down  into  and  up 
from  the  water  —  baptized  IN  the  river  Jordan,'  etc.  This  in- 
dicates the  form  of  immersion,  and  would  to  my  mind  give  that 
form  the  preference,  even  if  there  is  no  stronger  testimony. 
If  the  Christian  use  of  the  word  was  to  designate  the  rite,  with- 
out reference  to  the  form,  still  some  form  must  have  been  used, 
and  whatever  the  context  indicates,  that  I  should  prefer." 

"  Yes,"  said  Brother  Burton ;  "  if  we  should  give  up  this 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  79 

word  /3artn^w  to  you,  these  little  troublesome  particles  would  set 
all  right.  There's  no  getting  round  them.  There  they  are  in 
Greek,  iv  (Vh),  and  t'tj  (eis),  in  and  info,  and  of  as  much  im- 
portance, and  having  the  same  meaning,  as  in  and  into  in 
English." 

"  But  I  don't  see  the  necessity  of  giving  up  this  word  so 
easily,"  said  Father  Longwind.  "  Let's  bring  up  the  Bible, 
and  see  what  that  says  about  it." 

"  Yes ;  what  do  we  care  for  this  Syriac,  and  Chaldee,  and 
Arabic,  and  Hindoo,  and  I  don't  know  what  all ! "  exclaimed 
mother  Clayton,  giving  her  knitting-needles  an  extra  flourish, 
"  plain  English  is  all  we  want !  What  has  Italy  and  Pesteto 
to  do  with  the  matter,  I  would  like  to  know  ?  I'm  almost  out 
of  patience  with  the  whole  of  you ! " 

"  The  Itala  and  Peshito,  mother,"  said  Anna,  "  have,  and 
should  have,  far  more  weight  than  our  English  translation,  as 
they  were  made  centuries — yes,  more  than  a  thousand  years  — 
nearly  fifteen  hundred  —  before,  in  the  very  next  generation 
after  the  Apostles ;  and  by  men  who  doubtless  had  been  taught 
by  the  Apostles  :  whereas,  our  translation  is  not  only  obliged  to 
go  back  to  the  old  manuscripts  of  those  times  for  its  authority, 
but  is  separated  from  the  habits,  manners  and  customs  of  that 
age,  not  by  centuries  of  years  only,  but  by  many  centuries  of 
midnight  moral,  intellectual,  and  religious  darkness.  And 
besides  all  this  in  the  Peshito,  there  is  the  advantage  of  having 
a  translation  of  this  very  disputed  word,  which  our  copy  has 
not,  and  which  shows  us  that  they  in  the  apostolic  age  gave  it 
a  generic  signification,  and  not  a  specific  one." 

"  But  God  gave  us  our  Bible,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "  and  no 
doubt  we  shall  be  judged  by  it  just  as  it  is." 

"  He  did  not  give  it  to  us  directly  by  inspiration,"  said 
Halley.  "  The  translators  were  not  inspired  to  translate  correctly. 
Strictly  speaking,  there  is  but  one  altogether  pure  fountain 
direct  from  the  hands  of  God,  and  that  is  the  original  manu- 


SO  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

script  in  the  language  used  by  the  inspired  penman,  and  by 
those  to  whom  the  manuscript  was  at  that  time  transmitted.  I 
think  I  am  safe  in  saying  that  no  translator  can  in  all  cases 
give  the  exact  shade  of  meaning  in  the  mind  of  the  author, 
when  translating  his  work  into  another  language." 

"  But  the  translators  are  the  next  best  authority,"  said  Bro- 
ther Burton.  "  Those  who  can  read  nothing  but  English,  must 
depend  on  them." 

"Have  we  not  been  citing  their  authority?"  said  Halley; 
"  men  who  have  spent  many  years  in  acquiring  a  perfect  know- 
ledge of  these  languages,  and  by  unremitting  toil  have  capaci- 
tated themselves  for  this  work,  and  who,  with  the  fear  of  God 
before  them,  have  done  nobly  and  labored  faithfully  —  and  yet 
authority  like  this  you  set  aside,  because,  forsooth,  it  does  not 
suit  your  notion  of  matters !  We  have  even  given  you  the 
authority  of  men,  who,  if  not  inspired  themselves,  were  at  least 
taught  by  inspired  men ;  and  their  testimony  has  no  more 
weight  against  your  preconceived  opinions,  than  so  much 
Hindoo  gibberish  !  What  further  can  be  done  ?  What  shall 
we  now  do  but  meet  you  upon  your  own  ground  ?  Let  us  take 
the  English  translation  then,  just  as  it  is.  Let  us  keep  in  mind 
that  baptize  always  means,  dip,  2}lun0ei  immerse,  etc.  You  say 
there  is  no  provision  for  anything  else  in  the  Classic  Greek. 
Let  us  call  up  the  first  witness  then  in  the  Xew  Testament. 
Mr.  Matthew,  you  have  made  a  great  mistake  in  saying,  I  bap- 
tize you  with  water  !  Either  you,  or  the  translators,  have  made 
bungling  work  of  it.  Don't  you  know,  Matthew,  that  the 
subject  is  to  be  applied  to  the  water,  and  not  the  water  to  the 
subject?  You  should  have  said  baptize,  or  dip  you  in  water, 
then  it  would  have  been  all  right. 

"Again  you  persist  in  saying,  '  He  shall  baptize  you  with  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire —  how  is  it  that  you  are  determined 
to  give  expression  to  such  absurdities !  One  would  suppose 
that  you  could  see  the  inconsistency  of  it  yourself,  and  there- 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER    TRUTH.  81 

fore  not  repeat  it  again  and  again  as  you  do  greatly  to  our 
annoyance !  And  not  only  you,  Matthew,  but  your  fellow- 
laborers,  Mark,  and  Luke,  and  John,  have  done  the  same  thing. 
And  what  ninnies  they  all  must  have  been,  not  to  keep  a  figure 
better  !  Just  hear  Peter,  when  he  speaks  of  the  baptism  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  —  mark  how  he  invariably  says  that  it  was 
poured  out  or  fell  on  them!  How  forcible  this  must  have  been 
to  the  mind  of  Peter,  and  to  all  who  heard  him  —  when  they 
knew  to  be  baptized  was  to  be  dipped  into  something  !  And 
then  what  a  beautiful  figure  is  this  — '  Know  ye  not  that  as 
many  as  were  dipped  Into  Jesus  Christ  were  dipped  into  his 
death!'  and  this  also  —  '■They  were  all  dipped  into  Moses,  in 
the  cloud  and  in  the  sea.'  And  again  :  'As  many  as  have  been 
dipped  Into  Christ  have  put  on  Christ;'  and  yet  once  again: 
'  For  by  one  Spirit  are  we  all  dipped  Into  one  body.'  There  is 
also  your  favorite  text,  '  One  Lord,  one  faith,  and  one  dipping,' 
But  how  will  you  harmonize  this  last  passage  with  Paul's  ad- 
monition to  the  Hebrews,  that  they  should  leave  the  principles 
of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  and  go  on  unto  perfection  ;  not  laying 
again  the  foundation  of  repentance  from  dead  works,  and  of 
faith  toward  God,  of  the  doctrine  of  dippings,  and  of  laying 
on  of  hands,  etc.  Here  you  see  Paul  refers  to  more  than  one 
baptism,  or  dipping,  as  you  will  have  it!  But  what  nonsense 
is  all  this — he  who  robs  the  word  of  God  of  its  consistency  and 
spirit,  must  be  guilty  in  the  sigh£  of  God;  and  in  His  hands  I 
am  willing  to  leave  him." 

"  I  was  thinking,"  said  Anna,  "how  much  of  the  Bible  would 
have  been  strange  reading  if  the  word  parcti^  had  been  trans- 
lated dip  or  immerse.  The  dipping  of  John,  whence  was  it, 
from  heaven  or  of  men  ?  I  have  a  dipping  to  be  dipped  with 
and  how  am  I  straitened  until  it  be  accomplished.  Are  ye  able 
to  be  dipped  with  the  dipping  that  I  am  dipped  with  ?  " 

George  laughed  outright,  and  apologized  by  saying  it  re- 
minded him  of  "  Peter  Piper's  peck  of  pickled  peppers." 

F 


82  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  I  think  no  one  can  fail  to  see,"  said  Halley,  "  the  absurdity 
of  limiting  this  word  to  the  strictly  specific  meaning  it  is  said 
to  have  in  classic  Greek.  That  it  was  understood  by  the  early 
Christian  fathers  as  a  generic  term  implying  only  the  rite  of 
baptism,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  when  Origen  and  Augus- 
tine desired  to  speak  definitely  of  immersion,  jSartrtcrjudj  (baptis- 
vnos)  is  not  generally  used,  but  instead  xa-tdSvais  (katadims~)} 
and  avdSvrsis  (anadusis).  Why  is  this  if  fi(uttio(>i6s  (Ijaptismos) 
is  specific,  and  means  nothing  but  dipping  or  immersing  —  can 
any  one  tell  us  ? 

"  But  this  word  is  not  the  only  one  for  which  we  claim  this 
license.  In  the  time  of  the  Christian  fathers  this  principle 
was  felt  as  an  imperative  necessity,  and  it  was  acted  upon.  It 
seems  that  in  those  days  there  were  some  who  were  over-nice 
about  the  '  mint  and  the  cummin ;'  who  had  a  superstitious 
reverence  for  the  previous  signification  of  words,  as  there  are 
now  in  these  times ;  and  in  searching  through  the  Latin  lan- 
guage, they  could  find  no  word  that  corresponded  to  their  idea 
of  the  full  meaning  of  ou?rtp  (sotef)  a  Savior.  This  caused 
considerable  perplexity  for  some  time,  but  at  last  the  good  sense 
of  the  strong-minded  Augustine  disposed  of  the  difficulty  by 
making  no  scruple  of  employing  the  Latin  word  Salcator,  ob- 
serving well,  and  with  true  insight  into  the  law  of  the  growth 
of  words,  that  '  It  was  not  good  Latin  before  the  Savior  came, 
but  when  he  came  he  made  it  to  be  such — -for  as  shadows  follow 
substances,  so  words  result  from  things'  Also,"  continued 
Halley,  "  the  Creek  word  rftWis  (pistis)  signified  merely  belief 
in  classic  Greek ;  yet  wc  ipply  to  it  in  the  New  Testament, 
' faith  in  God.'  So  also  xoyoj  (logos')  meant  only  speech,  word, 
discourse,  in  the  classic  Greek,  yet  we  apply  to  it,  and  of  neces- 
sity it  must  read  for,  'Christ,  the  eternal  son  of  God.' 

"  bixatoovrr;  (dikiosunc),  signified  in  classic  Greek  doing  rigid, 
being  just  and  proper  j  but  in  the  Hellenistic  Greek,  righteous- 
ness,   Godliness;    also    the   righteousness   of  God  imparted   to 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.        83 

believers  on  account  of  their  faith  in  Christ.  See  Korn.  ix.  30, 
and  x.  5,  6;  and  2  Cor.  iii.  9,  and  v.  21,  etc. 

"XpKjrbj  (Christos),  in  Classic  —  rubbed  over  with  anything, 
anointed;  but  in  the  New  Testament,  Christ,  the  Messiah. 

"  'Ertcovcjtoj  (epiousios),  rendered  in  Matt.  vi.  11,  daily,  is  not 
found  in  classic  Greek  at  all.  Neither  are  the  following  words. 
osydrtr;  {agape),  love,  love  to  God,  God's  love  to  Christ  and  to 
men,  and  Christ's  love  to  men ;  see  John  xvii.  26,  and  Col.  i.  13. 

"  ' AyiviaXoyr^os  (agenealogetos),  Heb.  vii.  3,  without  genealogy. 

a  'Aytci^u  {Hagiazo),  to  make  clean,  to  be  holy. 

"  'Ayta^^dj  (^Hagiasmos),  sanctijication,  purity  of  heart,  holi- 
ness, etc. 

"  There  are  a  host  of  others ;  these  I  find  by  turning  over  a 
very  few  leaves  of  the  Lexicon." 

"Are  there  not  numerous  examples  of  such  growth  of  words, 
and  also  of  the  coining  of  new  ones,  in  our  language  ?  "  asked 
Anna. 

"  Certainly,  almost  beyond  computation,"  responded  Hulley. 
"  Our  language  is  constantly  changing;  many  words  have 
grown  out  of  their  original  meaning  entirely ;  others  become 
obsolete,  whilst  new  ones  are  continually  being  coined  to  meet 
the  demand  made  on  our  language  by  the  progress  of  science, 
and  the  changes  in  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  people. 
We  have  recently  coined  dough-faced,  jillibusfcr,  telegram,  etc. 
There  are  thousands  of  scientific  terms  which  have  been  intro- 
duced within  a  few  years.  Whereas,  some  words  become  ob- 
solete, and  then  are  again  put  in  circulation,  as  for  instance, 
ignore.  But  those  which  have  changed  their  primitive  signifi- 
cation, are  still  more  numerous. 

"  Pagan  formerly  only  meant  a  dweller  in  a  hamlet  or  vil- 
lage, in  distinction  from  those  dwelling  in  towns  and  cities. 

"  Heathen,  no  more  than  a  heath-dweller. 

"  Knave,  a  lad.  Villian,  a  peasant.  Virtue,  only  warlike 
courage.     Martyr,  simply  a  witness.      Sacrament,   at   first   a 


84  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

deposit  or  pledge,  then  a  military  oath,  thereafter  any  solemn 
oath  whatever.  Thus  we  could  go  on  almost  ad  infinitum; 
hut  let  us  rather  consult  Prof.  It.  C.  Trench,  B.  D.,  one  of  the 
most  learned  men  in  England.  In  his  work  on  the  '  Study  of 
Words,'  which  is  purely  a  scientific  work,  and  cannot,  therefore, 
be  suspected  of  sectarian  bias,  he  says,  p.  118 :  '  The  cause 
which  more  than  any  other  creates  the  necessity  for  these  addi- 
tions to  the  vocabulary  of  a  language,  and  calls  forth  the  words 
which  shall  supply  this  necessity  when  it  is  felt,  is,  beyond  a 
question,  this  —  namely;  that  in  the  appointment  of  highest 
wisdom  there  are  certain  cardinal  epochs  in  the  world's  history, 
in  which,  far  more  than  at  other  times,  new  moral  and  spiritual 
forces  begin  to  work,  and  to  stir  society  to  its  central  depths. 
When  it  is  thus  with  a  people,  they  make  claims  upon  their 
language,  which  were  never  made  upon  it  hitherto.  It  is  re- 
quired to  utter  truths,  to  express  ideas,  which  were  strange  to 
it  in  the  time  of  its  first  moulding  and  shaping,  and  for  which 
therefore  the  terms  sufficient  will  naturally  not  be  found  in  it 
at  once ;  these  new  thoughts  and  feelings  being  larger  and 
deeper  than  any  with  which  hitherto  the  speakers  of  that  tongue 
had  been  familiar.  But  when  the  bed  of  a  river  is  suddenly 
required  to  deliver  a  far  greater  volume  of  waters  than  till  now 
has  been  its  wont,  it  is  nothing  strange  if  it  should  surmount 
its  banks,  break  forth  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left,  or 
even  force  new  channels  with  something  of  violence  for  itself. 
The  most  illustrious  example  of  this  whereof  I  have  been 
speaking,  would  be,  of  course,  the  coming  in  of  Christianity, 
or,  to  include  the  anterior  dispensation,  we  may  say,  of  revealed 
religion  into  the  ancient  heathen  world,  with  the  consequent 
necessity  under  which  the  great  novel  truths  which  were  then 
proclaimed  to  mankind,  lay,  of  clothing  themselves  in  the  lan- 
guage of  men,  in  the  languages  of  Greece  and  Borne  —  lan- 
guages which  in  their  previous  form  might  have  sufficed,  and  did 
suffice,  for  heathenism,  sensuous  and  finite  as  it  was,  but  not  for 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  85 

the  spiritual  and  infinite  of  the  new  dispensation.  How  often 
had  these  new  thoughts  to  weave  a  new  garment  for  themselves, 
inasmuch  as  that  which  they  found  ready-made,  was  too  narrow 
to  wrap  themselves  withal ;  the  new  wine  to  find  new  vessels 
for  itself,  that  both  might  be  preserved,  the  old  vessels  being 
neither  sufficiently  strong  nor  expansive  to  hold  it. 

"  Thus,  not  to  speak  of  mere  technical  matters,  which  would 
claim  their  utterance,  how  could  the  Greek  language  have  had 
a  word  for  '  idolatry/  so  long  as  the  sense  of  the  awful  con- 
trast between  the  worship  of  the  living  God  and  of  dead  things, 
had  not  risen  up  in  their  minds  that  spoke  it  ?  But  when 
those  began  to  use  Greek,  and  that  as  the  sole  utterance  of 
what  was  in  them,  men  to  whom  this  distinction  and  contrast 
was  the  most  earnest  and  the  deepest  conviction  of  their  lives, 
the  words  '  idolatry,  idolater/  of  necessity  appeared.  The 
heathen  claimed  not  for  their  deities  to  be  '  searchers  of  hearts,' 
disclaimed  not  for  them  the  being  '  accepters  of  persons ;' 
such  attributes  of  power  and  righteousness  entered  not  into 
their  minds  as  pertaining  to  the  objects  of  their  worship.  The 
Greek  language,  therefore,  so  long  as  they  only  employed  it, 
had  not  the  words  corresponding.    *    * 

"  These  are,  as  I  said,  the  most  illustrious  examples  of  the 
coming  in  of  a  new  world  of  thoughts  and  feelings  into  the 
bosom  of  humanity,  whereby  has  been  necessitated  a  correspond- 
ing creation  in  the  world  of  words.  *  *  *  Where  the  move- 
ment is  a  great  popular  one,  stirring  the  heart  and  mind  of  a 
people  to  its  very  depths,  such  as  the  first  reception  of  the 
Christian  world,  there  these  new  words  will  be  for  the  most 
part  born  out  of  their  bosoms,  a  free  spontaneous  birth,  seldom 
or  never  capable  of  being  referred  to  one  man  more  than  an- 
other, because  they  belong  to  all." 

"  I  think,"  said  Anna,  "  that  there  need  not  be  another  word 
said  on  this  point.  Evidences  the  most  conclusive  and  satis- 
factory have  been  given  to  show  that  the  Apostles  not  only  ex- 
8 


86  A  N  N  A     CLAYTON;     OR, 

tended  and  enlarged  the  signification  of  words,  but  even  in 
many  cases  were  obliged  to  create  new  ones  to  meet  the  demands 
of  the  new  thoughts  they  labored  to  express.  To  know  whe- 
ther they  extended  the  meaning  of  the  word  in  question,  we 
have  only  to  open  our  Bibles  and  read.  I  for  one  will  not  per- 
H-t  in  making  Peter  and  the  other  Apostles,  and  even  our 
Savior  himself,  utter  absurdities  like  this;  'Then  the  Holy 
Ghost  fell  on  all  them  that  heard  the  word,  as  on  us  at  the  be- 
ginning. And  then  remembered  I  the  word  of  the  Lord,  how 
he  said,  John  indeed  dipped  with  water,  but  ye  shall  be  dipped 
with  the  Holy  Ghost.'  Think  for  a  moment  of  the  form,  '  i" 
dip  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost!' 

11  The  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  regard  to  its  agent,  sub- 
ject, means  and  effect,  demands  the  idea  of  purification,  and 
excludes  that  of  the  form  —  that  of  dipping ;  for  the  agent  is 
the  Divine  Spirit,  the  subject  the  human  spirit,  the  means 
spiritual,  and  the  effect  purity ;  in  such  relations  the  term  dip 
is  absurd !  For  any  one  to  persist  that  dip  must  be  the 
meaning,  because  it  had  been  used  in  that  sense  by  heathen 
writers  for  centuries  before  that  day,  looks  to  me  just  about  as 
consistent,  as  it  would  for  a  Frenchman  to  insist  on  giving  In  a- 
then  the  meaning  of  '  heath-dweller  J  simply  from  the  fact  that 
it  was  the  original  import  of  the  word." 

"  Stop  here  a  moment,"  said  Halley ;  "you  are  about  stumb- 
ling over  an  important  idea.  You  have  traced  the  baptism  of 
the  Spirit  through  to  its  effect  —  purity.  Now  look  at  the  ori- 
ginal signification  of  the  word  PartriZu,  and  then  remember 
that  water  is  the  agent  most  generally  used  as  the  means  of  the 
purification  of  material  things;  the  cleansing  being  accom- 
plished by  applying  the  water  in  some  way  to  the  object,  or 
the  object  to  the  water,  and  can  you  not  discover  the  reason  of 
their  employing  this  word,  which  was  probably  the  one  that 
expressed  most  nearly  their  meaning?  But  if  you  suppose 
that  their  choice  arose  from  the  manner  or  mode  implied  in  the 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.        87 

word,  you  will  be  at  once  corrected.  The  heathen  Greek  used 
it  to  convey  the  idea  of  the  object  being  applied  to  the  agent, 
which  is  water,  that  is,  the  thing  was  dipped  in  water,  or  what- 
ever fluid  was  used ;  but  the  Christian  Greek  must  have  un- 
derstood that  the  agent  was  to  be  applied  to  the  object,  that  is, 
the  Spirit  applied  to  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  men.  For 
example :  when  Homer  speaks  of  a  smith  baptizing  an  ax  in 
water,  we  know  he  meant  that  the  ax  was  plunged  into  the 
water  for  the  purpose  of  hardening  it,  although  the  end  to  be 
obtained  is  not  indicated  by  the  word.  The  word  simply  ex- 
presses the  idea  of  putting  the  object  into  the  water.  And 
when  Plutarch  says  that  the  Roman  general  baptized  his  hand 
in  blood;  or  Hemolaus,  that  he  dipped  his  pitcher  in  the  water, 
we  gather  that  these  objects  were  dipped  into  the  fluids,  but 
for  what  purpose  it  does  not  appear  from  the  word  employed  to 
indicate  the  action.  Hence,  as  they  used  it,  the  word  had  a 
specific  meaning,  which  merely  expressed  the  idea  of  dipping 
the  object  into  the  agent  without  indicating  the  purpose  for 
which  it  was  thus  dipped. 

"  In  the  New  Testament  this  word  is  never  used  in  this 
sense  in  regard  to  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  Although  water 
as  the  agent  is  generally  preceded  by  the  prepositions  iv  or  «tj, 
yet  even  in  classic  Greek,  as  you  may  learn  from  Donnegan's 
Lexicon,  iv  means  with  and  by,  as  well  as  in.  So  it  might  read, 
I  baptize  you  with  water  or  by  water,  just  as  properly  as  in 
water ;  therefore  you  have  only  negative  testimony  whereon  to 
build  your  faith.  But  now  turn  to  Luke  iii.  16,  and  Acts  i.  5, 
and  xi.  16,  and  we  have  no  prepositions  whatever  before  the 
noun  water  {yhan —  liudati).  George,  look  up  those  passages 
in  your  Greek  Testament,  and  see  if  I  have  stated  it  correctly. 
Do  you  find  any  prepositions  before  the  noun  water  (yhu?  — ■ 
hudor)?" 

"  No,  there  is  no  preposition  used  :  the  noun  stands  in  the 
dative  case,  vbatt.  (hudati)"  answered  George. 


88  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"When  nouns  are  used  in  this  way,  what  is  indicated?" 
asked  Halley. 

"  They  are  thus  used  in  the  dative  without  a  preposition," 
replied  George,  "  only  as  a  means  or  instrument,  and  never  as  a 
place  in  which  anything  is  said  to  be  or  to  be  done." 

"Just  so,"  said  Halley ;  "and  here  then  is  positive  evidence 
to  the  point  in  question.  According  to  Luke's  testimony,  John 
did  not  baptize  in  water,  but  icith  water,  merely  used  water  as 
an  instrument.  In  Acts  i.  5,  as  recorded,  our  Savior  said,  that 
John  did  not  baptize  in  water,  but  only  employed  water  as  a 
means  in  administering  the  ordinance.  In  Acts  xi.  10,  Peter 
in  repeating  the  words  of  our  Lord,  repeated  them  faithfully, 
and  said  John  did  not  baptize  in  water,  but  simply  used  water 
in  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  Therefore,  if  you  insist  that  iv 
shall  be  rendered  in,  in  spite  of  every  Greek  lexicographer  as- 
suring you  that  it  may  mean  with  just  as  properly,  you  thereby 
put  Matthew,  Mark,  and  John,  against  Jesus  Christ,  Luke,  and 
Peter.  One  or  the  other  party  tells  not  what  is  true !  You 
make  the  first  party  say  that  John  baptized  in  water,  when  the 
second  party  distinctly  and  definitely  assert  that  he  did  not  bap- 
tize in  water,  but  only  used  water  in  the  ordinance  as  an  instru- 
ment— he  baptized  toilh  water.  To  which  party  do  you  choose 
to  give  the  lie?  It  was  in  view  of  this  that  our  translators 
uniformly  gave  the  form  '  with  the  Holy  Ghost,'  etc.,  that  the 
passages  might  more  readily  be  harmonized;  for  it  must  lie  ren- 
dered with,  in  the  passages  above  cited,  and  might  properly  be, 
wherever  the  word  with  the  preposition  occurs.  They  chose  to 
believe  that  John  did  not  baptize  in  water,  rather  than  to  twist 
the  word  of  God  into  a  direct  contradiction  of  terms.  And 
now  upon  this  we  have  but  to  heap  the  evidences  regarding  the 
form  of  Spirit  baptism,  which  are  uniform  and  direct  when- 
ever spoken  of  in  the  word  of  God.  For  example,  see  John  i. 
32,  'And  John  bare  record,  saying,  I  saw  the  Spirit  descending 
from  heaven  like  a  dove,  and  it  abode  upon  him.'     Acts  ii.  3, 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  89 

'And  there  appeared  cloven  tongues  like  as  of  fire,  and  it  sat  upon 
each  of  them.'  Acts  ii.  33,  'And  having  received  the  promise 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  shed  forth  this  which  ye  now  see 
and  hear.'  Acts  viii.  16-17, '  For  as  yet  he  (the  Holy  Ghost) 
had  fallen  upon  none  of  them ;  then  laid  they  their  hands  on 
them,  and  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost.'  Also  Acts  x.  44^ 
'  While  Peter  yet  spake  these  words,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all 
them  which  heard  the  word.'  Acts  xi.  15-16,  'And  as  I  began 
to  speak,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  them,  as  on  us  at  the  begin- 
ning; then  remembered  I  the  word  of  the  Lord,  how  that  he 
said,  John  truly  baptized  with  water,  but  ye  shall  be  baptized 
with  the  Holy  Ghost.'  Acts  xix.  6,  'And  when  Paul  had  laid 
his  hands  on  them,  the  Holy  Ghost  eame  on  them.' 

"In  not  one  instance  is  the  object  applied  to  the  agent,  that 
is,  the  person  to  the  Spirit,  as  you  would  have  it,  and  as  the 
heathen  Greek  writers  employed  the  word;  but  instead,  the 
agent  invariably  to  the  object.  This  is  the  only  difference  be- 
tween us  on  this  point,  and  our  Baptist  friends.  We  apply  the 
water  to  the  person,  thus  making  it  a  means  or  instrument  in 
administering  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  as  our  Savior,  and 
Luke  and  Peter  declare  John  did ;  and  by  so  doing,  we  find  it 
truly  an  appropriate  and  beautiful  figure  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
being  applied  to  the  human  spirit,  falling  upon,  coming-  doi/m 
upon,  pound  out  upon,  and  shed  forth  upon,  etc. 

"  What  we  are  after  is  the  Christian  use  of  this  word  :  how 
the  heathen  Greeks  used  it,  is  a  matter  of  no  consequence,  as 
long  as  Christians  used  it  otherwise.  We  can  say,  as  Augus- 
tine did  in  regard  to  the  Latin  word  Salvator,  that  this  use  of 
)3artT(^co  was  not  good  Greek  until  it  was  Christianized.  We 
will  also  find  that  the  idea  conveyed  in  the  Christian  use  of 
baptism  was  not  the  form  of  administering  the  rite,  but  the 
end  to  be  gained  by  it  —  the  effect  to  be  produced  by  the  sub- 
stance of  which  it  is  the  shadow — that  through  it  we  are  puri- 
8* 


90  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OK, 

tied,  cleansed,  regenerated,  sanctified  and  sealed,  unto  the  day 
of  redemption :  this  was  urged  to  impress  its  importance." 

"  Ah  !  you  would  then  do  away  with  water  baptism  alto- 
gether ? "  exclaimed  Brother  Burton. 

"  No,  we  would  do  no  such  thing,"  continued  Iialley ;  "  but 
we  would  keep  it  in  its  proper  place  and  put  it  to  its  proper  use. 
The  Bible  everywhere  represents  it  as  subordinate  —  a  mere 
symbol  of  the  other  —  b}r  it  we  acknowledge  our  need  of  the 
other.  Its  use,  and  only  use,  is  to  bring  before  our  minds  the 
operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  through  which  we  are  cleansed, 
and  thus  acknowledge  to  the  world  our  necessity  of  Him ;  as 
the  only  use  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  to  bring  before  us  the 
broken  body  and  spilt  blood  of  our  dying  Lord,  through  which 
atonement  is  made,  and  thus  evince  our  faith  in  its  efficacy. 
John  the  Baptist,  who  is  generally  considered  as  having  insti- 
tuted the  outward  ordinance,  said,  '  I  knew  him  not,  but  that 
he  should  be  made  manifest,  therefore  am  I  come,  baptizing 
with  water,  and  he  upon  whom  the  Spirit  descendcth,  he  shall 
baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost.'  From  this  view  of  the  case, 
you  see  at  once  that  to  make  it  a  perfect  symbol,  it  should  be 
applied  in  that  way  that  will  most  perfectly  symbolize  the  Spirit 
baptism.  Even  if  we  had  no  direct  testimony  to  the  point,  our 
reason  would  teach  us  that  as  its  only  value  is  in  being  a  sym- 
bol, therefore  the  more  perfect  the  symbol,  the  more  valuable. 
Now  let  us  review  the  ground  gone  over.  Christ  and  the 
Apostles  spiritualized  this  word  by  making  the  agent,  object, 
means  and  effect  implied,  all  spiritual ;  and  to  help  sensuous 
man  to  comprehend  this  and  to  keep  it  in  view,  God  instituted 
a  material  ordinance  as  a  type  of  this  spiritual  operation.  In 
this  type,  water  is  used.  How  used  ?  Let  us  examine  for  a 
moment.  If  the  person  is  dipped  into  the  water,  it  ceases  to 
be  a  symbol  —  at  least  a  perfect  one;  the  water  should  be  ap- 
plied to  the  person,  for  the  Divine  Spirit  is  applied  to  the 
human  spirit,  and  never  is  the  person  represented  as  being- 
dipped  into  the  Holy  Spirit." 


THE    INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  91 

"  I  would  like  to  ask  one  question  here,"  said  Anna ;  "  What 
were  the  Jewish  modes  of  purifying  ?  They  must  have  been 
familiar  with  the  idea,  as  their  rites  were  divided  into  two 
general  classes  —  those  prefiguring  the  Great  Atoning  and  the 
Great  Sanctifying  Powers." 

"  The  sprinkling  of  blood  and  of  water,"  said  Halley,  "was 
to  the  Jews  the  grand  emblem  of  purification.  Although  the 
blood  was  sometimes  poured  out  at  the  base  of  the  altar,  and 
sometimes  smeared  on  its  horns,  or  on  parts  of  the  person  for 
whom  expiation  was  to  be  made,  yet  the  grand  significant 
emblem  was  sprinkling.  When  the  whole  nation  was  consecrated 
to  God  at  Mount  Sinai,  they,  and  the  books  of  the  law,  and  the 
tabernacle,  and  all  the  vessels  of  the  ministry,  were  sprinkled 
with  blood.  Paul  says  it  was  necessary  that  they  should  be 
purified  with  these  sprinklings  (see  Heb.  ix.  19-21).  Paul 
also,  as  it  were,  gives  a  summary  of  the  whole  ritual  of  purifi- 
cation, by  specifying  the  most  significant  of  its  usages — namely, 
that  of  the  ashes  of  a  heifer  mixed  with  water  (Numbers  xix. 
17)  with  which  the  unclean  were  sprinkled  (Heb.  ix.  13). 

"  On  the  great  day  of  atonement  the  high-priest  entered  the 
most  holy  place  and  sprinkled  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  with 
blood  (Lev.  iv.  17  and  Heb.  ix.  25). 

"And  the  prophet  Ezekiel  speaks  of  water  to  be  sprinkled 
under  the  new  dispensation.  After  describing  the  gathering  in 
of  all  the  Jews  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  he  represents 
Jehovah  as  saying,  *  Then  will  I  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you, 
and  ye  shall  be  clean  ;  from  all  your  filthiness  and  from  all  your 
idols  will  I  cleanse  you,  a  new  heart  will  I  give  you,'  etc.  (Ezek. 
xxxvi.  25,  26). 

"  Paul  also  uses  the  same  figure,  when  he  speaks  of  drawing 
near  to  God  with  a  full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts 
sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  etc.  (Heb.  x.  22.)  And 
Peter,  when  he  says :  '  Elect  unto  obedience  through  sanctifica- 
tion  of  the  Spirit  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus' 
(1  Peter  i.  12). 


92  A  N  X  A    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  Josephus  and  Philo  also  wrote  in  the  time  of  our  Savior 
and  the  Apostles,  and  they  speak  of  sprinkling  alone  as  the  rite 
or  symbol  of  purification  in  their  times.  And  Josephus  was  a 
Pharisee  —  a  priest  and  a  very  learned  man,  and  from  these 
facts  we  may  infer  that  he  would  have  been  very  particular  to 
give  all  the  forms.  We  also  read  in  John  iii.  25,  26,  that  there 
arose  a  question  among  the  Jews  about  purifying — the  disciples 
of  John  were  all  Jews,  consequently  this  question  was  among 
Jews  and  about  Jewish  purification,  and  that  purification  was 
connected  with  the  baptism  of  John  and  of  the  disciples  of 
Jesus.  And  now  let  me  ask  a  question.  Could  Jews  who  thus 
wrote  and  spoke  about  the  application  of  blood  and  of  water 
by  sprinkling,  find  in  sprinkling  no  due  signification  of  puri- 
fication?" 

"  I  think  the  question  answers  itself,"  said  Anna,  "  after  the 
considerations  which  have  already  been  suggested.  I  have  now 
but  one  more  difficulty,  and  that  is  found  in  the  prepositions 
iv  and  eij." 

"  I  am  of  the  opinion/'  said  Brother  Burton,  "  that  these 
particles  are  not  so  easily  managed.  I  am  sure  that  iv  means 
in,  in  Greek  as  much  as  in  does  in  English,  and  that  aj  means 
into,  in  Greek  just  as  much  as  into  does  in  English." 

"  It  cannot  be  that  you  are  a  Greek  scholar  or  you  would  not 
assert  what  is  so  easily  proven  to  be  false,"  said  Halley.  "  You 
say  that  iv  and  aj  mean  in  and  into  invariably;  now,  Gc 
you  can  read  Greek  well  enough  to  decide  this  matter.  Take 
your  Greek  Testament  and  turn  to  passages  as  I  name  them, 
and  tell  Brother  Burton  what  prepositions  are  used.  Alatt.  v.  1, 
'  Christ  went  up  into  a  mountain.'  " 

"  It  is  «5  to  bpoj  (eis  to  oros) ;  uj  before  the  noun  mountain," 
said  George,  "  though  it  is  not  to  be  believed  that  he  literally 
went  into  the  mountain,  but  only  on  or  upon  it." 

"  Matt.  v.  34,  <  Swear  not  at  all,  neither  by  heaven  for  it  is 
God's  throne.'" 


THE     I  N  Q  D  1  II  ER     AFTER     T  R  U  T  II  .  93 

u  That  is  iv  tZj  oipavui  (en  to  ourano)  ;  iv  heaven,"  said  George. 
"  Our  Baptist  version  would  make  it  read,  '  Swear  not  at  all  in 
fit  avt  n'  —  a  sensible  construction,  I  must  confess." 

"  Matt.  v.  35,  '  Nor  by  the  earth,  neither  by  Jerusalem.' " 

u  It  is  iv  r?t  yrt  and  its  'Ifpouo'xvua  (en  te  ge  and  eis  herosoluma), 
iv  earth,  and  us  Jerusalem ;  but  I  should  suppose  that  it  was 
more  reasonable  to  swear  by  the  earth  than  in  it;  and  I  don't 
know  how  they  would  swear  into  Jerusalem,  unless,  like  a 
barbarian  Gentile,  they  stood  on  the  outside  of  the  wall  and 
swore  over  it,  into  the  city !" 

"  Matt.  v.  36,  <  Neither  by  thy  head.' " 

"There  iv  occurs  again,"  continued  George;  "but  it  cer- 
tainly should  not  be  rendered  in,  for  it  would  make  no  sense." 

'*'  Matt.  vi.  34,  '  Take  no  thought  for  the  morrow.'  " 

"  There  we  have  it>s  tr,v  avpwv  (eis  ten  anrion) ;  its  the  mor- 
row," said  George ;  "  but  it  can't  mean  into  the  morrow,  for 
that  would  be  an  unnecessary  precaution." 

"  Matt.  vii.  2,  'For  with  what  judgment  ye  judge,  ye  shall 
be  judged,  and  icitli  what  measure  ye  mete/  etc." 

"  The  with  is  h  in  both  places,"  said  George,  laughing,  "  I 
was  thinking  how  some  of  our  Baptist  clergy  (glancing  his 
eyes  toward  Father  Longwind)  would  look  measured  up  after 
that  fashion,  for  in  what  measure  ye  mete,  and  in  what  judg- 
ment ye  judge,  ye  shall  be  judged." 

"  Matt,  vii.  C,  '  Cast  not  your  pearls  before  swine,  lest  they 
trample  them  under  their  feet.'  " 

"  'Ej/  -toii;  tcogLv  (en  tois  poshi) ;  iv  their  feet,"  said  George ; 
"  but  I  believe  I  shall  decide  the  other  way  this  time,  for  if 
they  should  happen  to  get  them  in  their  feet,  they'd  be  as  likely 
again  to  turn  and  rend  you.  But  it  would  bring  out  the  force 
much  better  if  it  had  been  rendered  '  lest  they  trample  them 
with  their  feet,'  etc." 

"Matt.  sii.  41,  '  They  repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jonas.'" 

"  It  is  It?,  but  they  certainly  could  not  have  repented  into  his 
preaching." 


94  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

"  Luke  si.  49, '  I  will  send  them  prophets  and  Apostles/  etc." 

"  It  is  Its  them/'  said  George,  looking  up  from  his  Testament, 
and  turning  his  eyes  towards  Brother  Burton;  "I  suppose 
Brother  Burton  -would  translate  it,  '  I  will  send  into  them  pro- 
phets and  Apostles." 

"  John  xi.  38,  '  Jesus  therefore  groaning  in  himself  cometh 
to  the  grave.' " 

"  'Ei?  the  grave,  hut  not  into  it,  certainly,  for  the  stone  was 
yet  on  the  mouth  of  it." 

"John  xxi.  4,  'Jesus  stood  on  the  shore.'" 

"  'Eij  the  shore,"  said  George,  "but  not  into  the  shore  of 
course,  for  it  would  make  the  veriest  nonsense." 

"  Thus  you  are  able  to  decide  from  a  few  examples  taken  at 
random,"  said  Halley,  "  whether  it  be  true  that  iv  and  «f  mean 
in  and  into  in  Greek  as  much  as  in  and  into  do  in  English.  I 
have  also  just  finished  a  careful  and  written  rendering  of  the 
Epistle  of  Paul  to  the  Philippians,  and  in  this  epistle  «if  occurs 
twenty-three  times,  and  in  not  one  instance  would  it  bring  out 
the  sense  or  force  of  the  passage  to  render  it  into,  nor  is  it  thus 
rendered  in  a  single  instance  in  our  (King  James')  translation. 

"  The  question  is  not  whether  they  do  not  sometimes  mean 
in  and  into;  that  all  scholars  admit,  but  that  they  invariably, 
or  even  in  Hellenistic  Greek  —  that  of  the  New  Testament  — 
generally  mean  in  and  into,  no  scholar  admits  or  believes. 
Yesterday  I  took  up  a  Baptist  publication  in  which  this  thing- 
was  stated  just  as  Brother  Burton  repeated  it,  and  he  is  pro- 
bably indebted  to  this  work  for  his  information  on  this  subject. 
To  say  the  least  of  such  statements,  it  shows  a  culpable  igno- 
rance on  the  matter  in  question,  or  a  wilful  perversion  of  the 
truth  ;  authors,  like  the  one  referred  to,  can  take  which  horn 
of  the  dilemma  they  choose." 

"And  these  words  are  used  in  connection  with  the  word  bap- 
tize ? "  remarked  Anna. 

"  Yes/'  replied  Halley ;  "  and  where  it  says  in  Matthew  that 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  95 

Jesus  when  he  was  baptized  went  up  straightway  out  of  the 
water,  it  reads  in  the  original,  from  the  water.  Brother  Burton, 
turn  to  it  if  you  please  in  Donncgan's  Lexicon,  and  give  us  his 
definition.  You  know,  you  said,  when  we  wish  to  determine 
the  meaning  of  a  Greek  word,  we  must  go  to  the  Greek  Dic- 
tionary, and  that  settles  the  matter  at  once." 

Brother  Burton  took  the  Lexicon  hesitatingly,  and  read,  arto 
(apo),  from,  away  from,  etc. 

"  Yes,"  said  Halley,  "  arto  means  in  all  Greek,  from,  and 
away  from,  this  is  really  the  only  primary  meaning  of  the  word. 
If  Christ  had  gone  into  the  river,  as  you  Baptists  maintain,  then 
we  should  have  had  instead  of  miprj  drfo  rov  ii&atos  (anebe  APO 
ton  hudatos),  avefir;  ix  tov  i'SaT'oj  {anebe  EK  tou  hudatos),  which 
would  have  meant  then  primarily  from,  but  secondarily,  etc., 
out  of ,  from  out  of  etc.  Therefore,  as  ix  or  (e£)  is  not  used  in 
the  original,  we  may  safely  say  that  it  is  as  certain  as  language 
can  make  it,  that  only  departure  from  the  water  is  intended  to 
be  conveyed  by  the  above  passage  in  Greek  as  found  in  the 
original  of  both  Matthew  and  Mark.  In  Mark  we  read  in  our 
translation,  that  'Jesus  was  baptized  of  John  in  Jordan.'  In 
the  Greek  it  is  as  the  Jordan,  the  classical  meaning  of  hi  as 
given  in  their  order  in  Donnegan's  Lexicon,  is  to,  into,  unto,  to- 
wards, at,  on,  in,  etc. ;  and  there  are  twenty-six  significations 
as  given  by  Schleusner,  the  great  German  Greek  scholar.  By 
observing  the  order,  you  will  see,  that  as  they  are  laid  down 
even  in  Dictionaries  of  classic  Greek,  that  at  is  a  more  pro- 
bable rendering  for  £tj,  than  in." 

"  I  would  like  to  know  what  the  law  is,  by  which  translators 
are  governed,"  said  Anna,  "  in  choosing  the  proper  signification 
of  words,  where  there  are  a  great  many  to  choose  from,  as  in 
this  case  ?  " 

"The  subject  treated  of  by  the  writer,"  responded  Halley, 
"should  be  the  most  prominent;  that  is,  what  is  he  talking 
about,  and  what  does  he  wish  to  say  ?  and  which  one  of  these 


9G  A  N  N  A     CLAYTON;     OR, 

significations,  judging  from  the  subject  matter  and  the  context 
and  its  construction,  would  bring  out  the  most  clearly  and  forcibly 
the  idea  in  the  mind  of  the  writer  ?  This  idea  is  to  be  deter- 
mined, then,  by  the  theme  of  the  discourse,  the  context  —  that 
which  goes  before,  and  that  which  follows  —  and  by  the  con- 
struction of  the  sentence ;  and  these  combined,  are  to  determine 
always  the  choice  of  the  meaning  of  a  word  when  a  plurality 
of  significations  is  given,  as  is  generally  the  case.  And  this  is 
the  most  difficult  part  of  the  whole  field  canvassed  by  the  trans- 
lator. It  requires  great  insight  into  the  nature,  idiom,  and  pe- 
culiarities of  the  language,  a  nice  discrimination  of  words  and 
terms,  a  quick  perception  of  slight  shades  of  difference,  a  good 
judgment  in  balancing  the  effects  and  forces  of  these  differ- 
ences, a  powerful  concentration  of  thought,  in  thereby  being 
able  to  keep  the  main  idea  or  subject  in  the  mind,  and  bringing 
everything  to  bear  upon  it ;  and  last,  but  not  least,  good  sound 
sense — common  sense — so  as  not  to  make  your  author  or  writer 
say  things  that  he  never  dreamed  of,  to  make  him  rush  heed- 
lessly and  recklessly  into  the  most  foolish  inconsistencies  and 
absurdities  —  as  many,  most  certainly,  make  the  Evangelists 
and  the  Apostles  involve  themselves,  by  strenuously  and  obsti- 
nately supporting  their  own  peculiar  faith  and  views  in  viola- 
tion of  every  law  of  language  and  construction,  and  in  the  very 
teeth  of  consistency  and  common  sense. 

"Now,  then,  in  Matthew  iii.  13,  it  is  said,  that  'Jesus  came 
to  Jordan;'  in  Mark  i.  9  —  keeping  in  view  our  principles  of 
construction  and  rendering  '  He  was  baptized  of  John  at 
Jordan;'  and  Matt.  iii.  16,  and  3Iark  i.  10,  that  'He  went  up 
from  the  water;'  there  is  no  conflicting  in  the  original,  as  every 
classical  scholar  knows.  In  Matt.  iii.  <>,  it  reads,  '  Were  bap- 
tized of  him  wz  Jordan ;'  and  so  it  is  in  Mark  i.  5.  But  in  the 
original,  iv  is  used ;  and  we  have  learned  that  iv  may  mean 
with  and  at,  &c,  as  well  as  in  ;  and  it  might  here  with  much  more 
propriety  be  rendered  at,  as  thereby  it  harmonizes  with  other 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  97 

passages;  and  moreover,  it  is  only  used  here  to  indicate  the 
place  where  the  ordinance  was  performed.  Nothing  is  more 
common  in  both  Latin  and  Greek,  than  to  render  the  same  pre- 
position to  and  into  ;  and  also  in  and  at ;  for  example,  in  such 
passages  as  these;  he  came  into  the  city  —  he  came  to  the  vil- 
lage— he  came  to  the  river ;  and  also  he  stopped  in  the  city  — 
he  stopped  at  the  village  —  and  he  stopped  at  the  river.  The 
same  preposition  answers  for  to  and  into,  and  the  same  for  at 
and  in,  in  both  Greek  and  Latin,  as  every  one,  who  knows  any- 
thing about  these  languages,  must  admit.  We  have  also  found 
that  Luke,  in  giving  the  same  account  as  the  one  referred  to — 
the  baptism  of  Jesus — used  a  phraseology  that  would  not  admit, 
at  all,  of  the  rendering  in  the  water :  and  our  Savior,  too,  in 
speaking  of  John's  baptism,  and  subsequently  Peter,  in  speaking 
of  the  same,  used  like  phraseology,  from  which  no  in  the  water 
can  possibly  be  drawn.  Is  it  not  fair  and  safe,  then,  to  infer  that 
Matthew,  Mark  and  John,  meant  icith  water  also  ?  There  is  no 
violation  of  any  principle  or  law  of  interpretation  in  thus  render- 
ing it :  it  must  of  necessity  be  thus  translated,  as  this  is  the  only 
way  the  different  accounts  can  be  harmonized.  And  would 
our  Baptist  friends,  rather  than  give  up  their  untenable  and 
preconceived  notions  of  this  subject,  insist  that  one  party  did 
not  know  what  they  were  talking  about  ?  Will  they  thus  accuse 
their  Lord  and  Master  ?  There  is  but  one  other  passage  where 
apparently  our  versidn  affords  ground  for  immersion,  and  that 
is  John  iii.  23,  'And  John  also  was  baptizing  in  iEnon,  near 
to  Salim,  because  there  was  much  icater  there.'  The  original 
reads  vbata  7toXKa.  (hudata  polio).  Brother  Burton,  will  you 
turn  to  it  in  Robinson's  Lexicon,  and  give  us  the  definition  ?  " 

Brother  Burton  said  that  he  guessed  they  wan't  particular 
about  it ;  but  on  being  urged,  took  the  Lexicon  and  read,  vha.ua, 
itovkd,  many  fountains  or  springs,  i;6up  water,  and  the  plural 
vha.ro.,  waters,  7toVKa,  many  ;  hence,  many  icaters,  that  is,  foun- 
tains or  springs." 

G 


98  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  It  means  then,"  said  Halley,  "  that  he  was  baptizing  in 
vEnon,  or  rather  at  iEnon  (as  the  iv  here  should  be  rendered), 
because  there  were  many  fountains  or  springs  here,  and  nothing 
more.  In  corroboration  of  this  we  are  informed  by  those  best 
acquainted  with  the  topography  of  the  place,  in  as  far  as 
they  can  determine  its  locality,  that  there  is  no  place  anywhere 
in  that  section  of  the  country  where  there  is  much  water.  In 
the  case  of  Philip  and  the  Ethiopian  eunuch,  the  original  reads 
the  same  as  it  does  in  Mark  i.  10,  and  Matt.  iii.  16,  with  the 
exception  of  the  preposition  ix,  from,  out  of,  etc. ;  but  as  the 
primary  signification  of  ix  is  from,  as  given  in  Donnegan's 
Lexicon  (the  standard  of  our  Baptist  friends),  it  is  in  reality 
no  exception,  and  fully  harmonizes  with  the  form  or  mode  of 
administering  the  rite  gathered  from  the  Evangelists.  If  you 
are  not  satisfied,  George,  you  can  look  at  the  definition  of  it." 

"  I  have  examined  it  before,"  replied  George ;  "  and  the  pri- 
mary meaning  of  ix  is  from,  and  the  order,  as  given  by  Donne- 
gan,  is  from,  out  of ,  from  out  of,  axcay  from,  etc." 

"  Then  it  reads  in  the  original,"  continued  Halley,  "  they 
went  down  to  and  came  up  from  the  water." 

"  Is  it  not  getting  late  ?  "  inquired  Brother  Burton,  stretching 
his  limbs  to  their  utmost  tension,  and  hanging  his  thumbs 
wearily  in  the  arm-holes  of  his  vest;  but  there  was  a  look  in 
his  eye  indicating  anything  rather  than  the  wooings  of  the 
gentle  god  Morpheus. 

"  It  is  eleven,"  said  Halley,  consulting  his  watch ;  "  indeed 
I  was  not  aware  of  its  being  so  late :  I  fear  I  have  wearied  you 
beyond  excuse." 

"  Do  not  speak  of  being  wearied,"  said  Anna,  "I  could 
listen  forever  to  the  explanations  of  these  truths,  if  it  would 
require  forever  to  explain  them." 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.        99 


CHAPTER  VI. 


"  The  morn  is  up  again,  the  dewy  morn, 
With  breath  all  incense,  and  with  cheek  all  bloom, 
Laughing  the  clouds  away  with  playful  scorn, 
And  living  as  if  earth  contained  no  tomb,  — 
And  glowing  into  day ;  we  may  resume 
The  march  of  our  existence ;  may  find  room 
And  food  for  meditation,  nor  pass  by 

Much  that  may  give  us  pause,  if  pondered  fittingly." 


Almost  before  the  stars  paled  on  the  morrow,  Elder  Clayton 
entered  his  study,  seated  himself  in  his  chair  —  his  old  arm- 
chair —  and  elevating  his  feet  to  the  window-sill,  was  soon  lost 
in  a  perplexing  maze  of  thought.  He  had  not  rested  well  the 
night  before.  Every  half-hour,  until  long  after  the  "  short 
ones"  came,  Mother  Clayton  aroused  him  from  his  dozing  to 
say,  that  she  "  would  bet  anything,  if  she  was  in  the  habit  of 
betting,  that  that  college  madcap  would  entice  the  girl  from 
their  church  and  communion  ! "  And  as  many  times  as  this 
was  uttered,  Elder  Clayton  tried  to  persuade  himself  that  if  she 
was  really  convinced  that  some  other  way  was  right,  he  would 
try  to  be  reconciled  to  her  enjoying  her  own  opinions  —  but  as 
many  times  he  failed.  Mother  Clayton  at  last  worked  herself 
up  to  the  denunciation  that,  "  If  he  did  entice  her  away,  he 
might  make  off  with  her,  for  she  did'nt  want  any  sprinkled 
Christians  round  her ! "  —  thus  solacing  herself,  she  went  to 
sleep ;  but  it  only  added  to  the  Elder's  sleeplessness  and  unrest. 


100  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

And  now,  after  a  troubled  night,  he  had  again,  in  the  silence 
of  his  study,  resumed  the  train  of  thought  which  so  greatly 
disturbed  his  usual  equanimity.  It  seemed  to  him  if  he  was 
not  an  Elder,  having  the  charge  of  a  church  —  if  he  was  only 
a  lay  member,  he  could  get  up  more  Christian  resignation. 
Half  dozing,  and  conning  it  over  for  the  twentieth  time,  the 
door  gently  opened  and  Brother  Burton  entered. 

"  I  thought  I  heard  you  up,  Brother,"  he  said,  stepping 
quickly  towards  him ;  "  I  want  to  talk  with  you  —  perhaps  it 
would  be  well  enough  to  turn  the  key,  so  we  won't  be  inter- 
rupted. Now,  Brother  Clayton,  what  do  you  think  of  this 
matter  —  it  really  assumes  an  unpleasant  shape,  don't  it  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  thoughtfully.  "  The  effect 
of  this  on  my  children  is  what  I  fear !  It  robbed  me  of  my 
sleep  last  night  —  I  was  thinking  of  what  the  consequences 
might  be,  of  having  such  doctrines  brought  in  contact  with  their 
young  minds.  When  one  gets  older,  and  has  his  principles 
fixed,  as  yours  and  mine  are,  Brother  Burton,  then  he  is  not 
blown  off  the  track  so  easily ;  but  I  fear  for  them  —  I  fear  it 
will  not  only  disturb  the  peace  of  my  family,  but  possibly 
divide  it  forever  ! " 

"  Yes,  yes ;  0  of  course  you  can't  be  expected,  if  the  girl 
persists  in  believing  such  strange  doctrines  in  defiance  of  your 
expressed  desires,  counsel,  Bible  teachings,  and  everything,  that 
you  can  have  that  regard  for  her  you  would  have  if  she  were 
dutiful  and  obedient,"  said  Brother  Burton.  "Let  me  see; 
she's  a  girl  you've  taken  to  bring  up  —  she's  not  your  own 
daughter,  Elder?" 

"  No,"  he  replied,  "  I  don't  believe  there's  a  drop  of  Baptist 
blood  in  her  veins,  or  she  would'nt  be  so  obstinate  about  the 
matter.  It  seems  so  strange  to  me  —  now  I've  been  trying  to 
think  what  reason  there  is  in  it  —  they  acknowledge  that  our 
way  is  good,  valid,  and  all  that;  then  what  reason  is  there  in 
one  member  of  a  family  bolting  away  from  the  rest,  and  dividing 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTII.  101 

the  house  ?  When  they  acknowledge  our  way  is  a  good  one, 
why  can't  they  go  with  us,  if  they  do  think  some  other  way  is 
good  too  ?  They  acknowledge  our  way  is  good ;  I  should  sup- 
pose they  would  all  go  in  for  immersion  so  as  to  be  sure  they're 
right!"  The  good  man  was  almost  bewildered  by  his  own 
subtle  reasoning;  but  he  started  with  a  profound  consciousness 
on  his  own  part  of  the  ungratefulness  of  the  Christian 
world  in  general,  and  of  Anna  in  particular,  in  not  acknow- 
ledging the  superior  merit  of  that  form,  that  quite  a  fraction 
of  the  Christian  community  held  to,  as  the  only  form,  while 
others  admitted  it  to  be,  perhaps,  of  equal  merit  with  other 
forms  for  which  they,  strange  to  say,  had  a  preference. 

"  I  suspect,"  said  Brother  Burton,  rubbing  his  hands  with 
quiet  glee,  "it's  the  close  communion  they  don't  fancy  —  it's 
because  we  won't  fellowship  them  and  their  baby-sprinkling, 
and  all  —  that's  it!  I  believe  I'll  challenge  Halley  on  that 
subject:  I  consider  their  baby-sprinkling  altogether  indefen- 
sible!" 

"  But  you  don't  yield  this  other  argument  so  easily — do  you?" 
asked  Elder  Clayton,  with  an  anxious  look  in  his  eye. 

"  0,  on  baptism  ?  why,  no  !  The  truth  is  I  don't  think  I've 
had  any  argument  at  all !  I  thought  I  would  let  him  do  the 
talking  last  night,  as  he  seemed  to  relish  it  so  well ;  but  I've 
got  it  all  arranged  now ;  I  intend  to  come  down  on  him ;  to  deny 
with  some  of  our  Baptist  thunder  !  —  his  position  is  altogether 
untenable." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,  really,  Brother ;  I  was  expect- 
ing a  good  deal  from  you — I  thought  it  couldn't  be  possible  that 
I  should  be  so  sadly  disappointed.  Then  Anna  will  yet  be  con- 
vinced and  go  on  with  us  in  peace  and  harmony,  and  George, 
too  —  I  have  had  my  fears  about  him." 

"  I  can't  answer  for  the  girl,"  replied  Brother  Burton,  "  I 
rather  suspect  she  intends  to  believe  as  this  young  man  believes, 
whether  she  is  convinced  or  not,  for  reasons  best  known  to  her- 
9* 


102  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

self,  perhaps !  Didn't  you  notice  last  night  how  she  set  herself 
up  as  an  umpire  to  judge  of  the  weight  of  argument,  and 
invariably  came  out  on  his  side  ?  One  would  have  thought  it 
more  modest  and  maidenly  to  have  made  fewer  remarks  herself, 
and  referred  to  you,  Brother  Clayton,  or  to  some  other  one  better 
able  to  judge,  and  have  been  governed  accordingly.  I  think 
if  she  had  been  a  daughter  of  mine,  I  would  have  reproved  her 
sharply." 

Elder  Clayton  did  not  reply  to  this.  He  knew  in  his  heart 
that  Anna  was  seeking  truth,  and  that  too  from  no  impure 
motive.  He  also  knew,  that  as  she  was  the  one  for  whom  the 
argument  was  pending,  her  remarks,  her  decision  of  points  after 
hearing  the  testimony  on  either  side,  her  expression  of  opinion 
and  judgment,  was  not  at  all  out  of  the  way,  or  even  unmaidenly; 
but  his  Brother's  remarks  suggested  to  him  a  new  idea.  Anna 
was  shrinkingly  sensitive,  and  if  worse  came  to  worse,  perhaps 
a  little  paternal  authority  might  accomplish  what  argument 
would  not;  at  least,  it  would  do  to  think  about,  and  so  the  two 
separated. 

Breakfast  being  over,  the  young  people  gathered  around  the 
centre-table  in  the  sitting-room,  and  were  engaged  in  reading 
when  Brother  Burton  entered  with  his  two  clerical  friends  from 
a  walk  in  the  garden,  where  he  had  been  giving  them  an  out- 
line of  the  argument  he  intended  to  bring  forward ;  and  seat- 
ing themselves  now  with  much  assurance,  Brother  Burton  at 
once  introduced  the  subject  of  tbe  day,  and  commenced  the 
attack,  as  if  expecting  an  easy  victory,  with  scarcely  a  rejoinder 
from  his  young  opponent. 

"  Mr.  Halley,  I  think  you  asserted  last  night,  that  j3axti^  was 
appropriated  to  a  spiritual  use :  its  significance  must  of  neces- 
sity have  been  changed ;  but  I  think,  sir,  I  can  prove  to  you  that 
it  was  first  used  in  regard  to  water  baptism,  yes,  for  years  before 
the  Spirit  baptism  was  bestowed  upon  the  world.  One  was  insti- 
tuted at  the  commencement  of  the  mission  of  Christ,  and  the  other 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       103 

at  its  close ;  hence,  it  could  not  be  said  to  have  been  spiritual- 
ized at  the  time  the  ordinance  of  water  baptism  was  instituted ; 
neither  can  we  suppose  that  there  is  literally  any  Spirit  baptism. 
I  think  it  undeniable,  that  the  word  was  used  only  as  &  figure 
to  convey  an  idea  of  the  overwhelming  abundance  of  its  in- 
fluences;—  that  these  influences  should  cover,  overpower,  and 
swallow  up  their  minds,  as  the  water  did  the  bodies  of  the  sub- 
jects in  baptism.  It  could  have  been  used  only  as  a  figure ; 
for  the  Holy  Spirit  cannot  be  literally  poured  out  or  sprinkled, 
neither  could  the  disciples  be  literally  immersed  in  Him,  any 
more  than  they  already  had  been,  for  He  is  and  always  was 
everywhere  present,  and  had  always  surrounded  them  at  every 
side.  It  is  clearly  impossible,  then,  that  there  could  have  been 
any  literal  baptism  of  the  Spirit  in  any  sense  of  the  word, 
either  by  sprinkling,  pouring,  or  immersion.  Baptism,  in  other 
places,  is  represented  as  an  overwhelming  of  the  soul  in  great 
and  intense  afflictions.  Are  you  able,  said  Christ,  to  be  plunged 
deep  into  afflictions,  and  have  sorrow  cover  you  as  water  ?  That, 
too,  which  was  a  baptism  of  suffering  was  a  metaphorical,  and 
not  a  literal,  baptism ;  so  he  told  his  disciples,  that  in  a  few  days 
they  should  be  immersed  or  overwhelmed  by  the  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit." 

During  this  harangue,  Halley  sat  with  his  eyes  fixed  in  a 
quiet  gaze  on  the  face  of  the  speaker,  and  when  he  paused  for 
a  reply,  Halley  quietly  said,  "  May  I  ask  for  what  purpose  you 
seek  this  controversy?" 

Brother  Burton  thinking  this  a  ruse  to  evade  the  point,  and 
fearing  lest  he  should  be  cheated  out  of  his  expected  triumph, 
replied :  "  Why  I  have  been  informed  that  our  young  friend 
here,  Miss  Anna,  is  investigating  this  subject,  and  as  you  stated 
what  I  can't  help  regarding  as  altogether  unwarrantable,  I 
desire  to  resume  the  discussion." 

"Let  me  refer  you,  then,  with  your  objections,  to  Miss  Anna 
herself,"  said  Halley, "  and  let  her  examine  them  on  Scriptural 
evidences." 


104  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

A  pair  of  black  eyes  flashed,  but  there  was  no  way  of  get- 
ting round  it  without  positive  rudeness,  and  so  with  a  bad  grace 
the  question  was  submitted  to  her.  Anna  colored  slightly,  and 
replied  :  "  If  it  were  not  for  two  or  three  difficulties,  it  would 
look  very  plausible,  and  might  be  received  as  a  solution  of  this 
much-controverted  question." 

"  What  are  they  ?  "  Brother  Burton  very  testily  inquired. 

"  In  the  first  place,"  responded  Anna,  "  in  the  first  account 
we  have  of  water  baptism  as  instituted  by  John,  he  says  he  in- 
stituted it  because  there  was  One  coming  after  him  who  should 
baptize  with  the  Holy  Spirit ;  here  we  discover  an  intimate  con- 
nection between  them,  and  when  Christ  came  to  him,  and  sub- 
mitted to  the  ordinance,  then  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  him  ;  and 
here  we  find  an  account  of  water  baptism  and  Spirit  baptism 
side  by  side,  and  both  on  the  person  of  our  blessed  Master  and 
Savior.  That  it  literally  fell  on  him,  we  know,  because  God's 
truth  asserts  it,  and  God  cannot  lie ;  and  afterward  it  is  stated 
that  Jesus  'returned  from  Jordan  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
it  led  him  into  the  wilderness ;'  and  Peter  says  in  Acts  x.  38, 
'  God  anointed  Jesus  of  Nazareth  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and 
with  power.'  And  John  says  of  Christ,  '  God  gave  not  the 
Spirit  by  measure  unto  him.'  Therefore  I  do  not  find  that  one 
was  instituted  years  before  the  other;  but  on  the  contrary,  we 
received  the  warrant  for  both  at  the  same  time.  And  how 
Jesus  received  one  which  was  the  substance,  of  which  the  other 
was  the  shadow,  we  are  not  left  in  doubt  either.  No  one  can 
question  the  mode  of  the  Spirit  baptism, '  for  it  descended  upon 
him  in  the  form  of  a  dove.'  It  was  7iot  said  to  surround  and 
envelop  him,  so  that  he  could  be,  indeed,  immersed  in  it,  or 
even  said  to  be  immersed  in  it ;  '  but  it  descended  and  abode 
upon  him,'  just  as  it  afterward  fell  on  all  them  that  believed  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost,  '  there  appeared  cloven  tongues  like  as 
of  fire  that  sat  upon  each  of  them.'  That  he  should  be  buried 
under   the  water,   to  symbolize  the  Spirit's  descending   and 


THE     INQUIRER    AFTER     TRUTH.  105 

abiding  upon  him,  looks  to  me  like  an  absurdity  —  it  would  be 
no  symbol  at  all.  I  have  searched/''  she  continued,  "for  a 
baptism  of  suffering,  but  have  not  been  able  to  find  it " 

"What!"  interrupted  Brother  Burton,  not  being  able  longer 
to  restrain  his  impatience,  "  what,  not  find  it  ?  You  must  have 
been  a  superficial  reader,  indeed !  Turn  to  Matthew  xx.  22-28, 
and  perhaps  you  will  find  what  you  have  been  so  long  in  quest 
of:  it  stands  there  so  plain  that  you  may  find  it,  if  you  are  not 
so  blind  you  can't  see  it ! " 

Anna's  lip  quivered,  but  she  summoned  up  courage  enough 
to  reply,  "  I  have  read  that  many  times,  Elder  Burton ;  but  it 
must  be  that  I  am  blind,  for  I  can  see  no  baptism  of  suffering 
there." 

"  Did  you  ever  see  such  stubbornness?"  said  Brother  Burton, 
glancing  his  flashing  eyes  toward  Elder  Clayton,  and  speaking 
in  his  bitterest  tones,  and  with  a  petulance  which  showed  of 
what  stuff  he  was  made ;  "  I  suppose  if  we  should  assure  her 
it  was  there,  she  would  still  persist  in  telling  us  it  was  not  to 
be  seen !" 

Anna  was  completely  crushed,  and  if  her  life  depended  on 
it,  could  not  have  answered  another  word.  Halley  started  to 
his  feet,  and  paced  quickly  up  and  down  the  room,  and  then 
stopping  short  before  Brother  Burton,  said,  "Elder  Burton, 
you  are  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  and  as  such,  entitled  to  re- 
spect; but  no  man,  whether  he  be  priest  or  king,  has  a  right  to 
crush  down  the  minds  of  others.  We  are  created  reasoning 
beings  :  it  is  natural  for  us  to  ask  a  reason  for  what  we  are  re- 
quired to  believe,  and  as  a  teacher,  you  need  not  expect  your 
simple  assertion  to  convince  of  truth.  I  take  up  the  gauntlet 
thrown  down  at  her,  and  reply  that  though  you,  and  Elder 
Clayton,  and  Father  Longwind,  and  as  many  more  theologians 
as  could  utter  their  assertions  from  now  until  the  day  of  doom, 
should  protest  that  it  is  so,  still  I  will  not  believe  it,  unless  it 
can  be  shown  to  be  so,  from  the  word  of  God." 


106  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

Brother  Burton  said  that  he  did  not  intend  to  be  rude  to 
Miss  Clayton ;  he  was  apt  to  be  hasty  in  debate,  and  begged 
the  lady's  pardon ;  but  when  anything  was  so  plain  and  self- 
evident,  as  the  passage  referred  to,  for  people  to  persist  that 
they  could  not  see  it,  looked,  to  him,  like  sheer  obstinacy." 

Halley  replied  that  if  he  would  examine  the  passage  more 
carefully,  he  would  find  that  what  he  believed  to  be  self-evident, 
needed  proof  5  and  he  would  further  discover  that  the  onus  pro- 
handi — the  burden  of  proof — lay  on  his  own  shoulders.  It  was 
not  so  easy  to  believe  that  a  baptism  "lam  already  baptized 
with,"  meant  the  deep  and  intense  sufferings  he  would  in  future 
time  meet  with  near,  and  at,  the  close  of  his  mission.  "  Read  it," 
said  Halley,  "  and  see  who  has  been  the  superficial  reader ;  and 
as  for  your  assertion  that  Spirit  baptism  was  a  mere  figure  of 
speech,  that,  too,  needs  proof  before  it  will  be  believed.  If  it 
was  used  as  a, figure,  why  was  not  the  figure  carried  out?  But 
not  a  single  example  can  you  point  to  where  the  Spirit  baptism 
is  represented  as  overwhelming  or  immersing  an  individual  — ■ 
not  one !  If  it  is  used  as  a  figure,  where  is  your  figure  ?  For 
you  to  say  that  it  -probably  means  that  the  Spirit's  influences  are 
to  cover,  overpower,  and  swallow  up  their  minds,  is  to  make  a 
figure  of  your  own ;  it  is  not  found  in  the  word  of  God.  They 
are  said  '  to  be  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost/  and  '  to  be  led  by  it  — 
filled  with  it/  etc. ;  but  the  quantity  received,  or  what  it  led 
them  to  do,  was  not  called  a  baptism;  it  was  the  act  of  receiving 
it  that  was  thus  named,  and  that  act  is  distinctly  specified  again 
and  again  :  '  It  descended  upon  them,  was  poured  out,  it  fell, 
was  shed  forth'  —  where  is  your  immersion  ?  Your  assertion 
that  it  must  be  a  figure  of  speech  because,  forsooth,  according  to 
your  opinion  it  could,  not  be  a  literal  baptism,  is  in  direct  con- 
tradiction of  the  word  of  God  —  and  may  God  be  the  judge  in 
this  matter — and  judge  betwixt  you  and  us  !  You  might  as  well 
make  a  figure  of  speech  of  heaven  or  lull  I  and  behold  the  Bible 
would  be  nothing  but  figures  of  speech,  save  the  dipping  in 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  107 

water,  called  by  our  Baptist  friends  the  only  true  baptism !  Is 
nothing  real  but  what  is  material  ?  Strictly  speaking,  nothing 
is  real  but  what  is  spiritual  I  The  material  crumbles  to  dust 
between  our  fingers  —  it  will  all  pass  away  !  If  we  attempt  to 
grasp  it,  it  disappoints  and  deceives  us ;  but  the  spiritual  is  im- 
perishable, unchanging  in  substance,  and  immortal  —  as  lasting 
and  abiding  as  eternity  —  it  shall  endure  whilst  God  himself 
endures  !  Especially  is  this  true  of  God's  ordinances ;  for  the 
material  is  used  invariably  as  a  type  of  the  spiritual.  Not  one 
exception  can  you  point  to  —  not  one,  as  either  revealed  from 
Mount  Sinai,  or  set  forth  in  the  teachings  of  Christ  and  the 
Apostles.  Then  by  what  authority  do  you  put  the  outward  rite 
as  the  substance,  and  the  inward  or  spiritual  as  a  mere  figure 
of  speecli  ? 

"  This  was  the  great  error  and  guilt  of  the  Jews.  They  were 
so  absorbed  by  a  punctilious  observance  of  outward  forms,  as 
to  forget  the  very  things  they  were  designed  to  teach  and  im- 
press. And  the  prophets,  by  the  command  of  God,  denounced 
a  wo  against  them  for  so  doing  :  i  "Wo  to  Ariel,  to  Ariel,  the  city 
where  David  dwelt;  add  ye  year  to  year,  let  them  kill  sacrifices, 
yet  I  will  distress  Ariel.  Forasmuch  as  this  people  draw  near 
me  with  their  mouth,  and  with  their  lips  do  honor  me,  but  have 
removed  their  hearts  far  from  me,  and  their  fear  toward  me,  is 
taught  by  the  precepts  of  men.'  And  our  Savior  repeated  the 
wo :  '  Wo  unto  you,  scribes,  Pharisees,  hypocrites,  for  ye  pay 
tithe  of  mint,  anise,  and  cummin,  but  have  omitted  the  weightier 
matters  of  the  law,  judgmet,  mercy  and  truth.'  " 

"  I  think  you  are  rather  severe,  young  man,"  said  Brother 
Burton,  nettling  under  the  sharp  rebuke. 

"  It  is  but  the  severity  of  truth,"  Halley  replied  ;  "how  else 
can  I  understand  you  :  if  you  do  not  make  water  baptism  the 
substance,  of  what  is  it  a  shadow  ?  Is  it  the  shadow  of  a  figure 
of  speecli  ? 

"  But  you  expressly  said  that  water  baptism  was  first  insti- 


108  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

tuted,  and  then,  the  idea  involved  in  that  was  used  as  &  figure, 
thus  making  the  outward  rite  the  substance,  and  the  spiritual 
rite  its  type  or  shadow.  But  if  you  should  insist  that  water 
baptism  is  not  the  substance  implied,  but  a  shadow  —  behold 
then  a  shadow  of  a  shadow  ! " 

"I  think  I  understand  it,"  said  Father  Longwind.  "Water 
baptism,  at  the  time  it  was  instituted,  had  no  reference  to  what 
is  called  Spirit  baptism,  but  was  a  figure  of  the  death  and 
resurrection  of  Christ,  and  also  of  our  own  death  and  resurrec- 
tion, but  afterward  it  was  appropriated  as  a  figure  of  the  other 
baptism." 

"Where  is  your  proof?"  asked  Halley. 

"  Why  you  know  Paul  says,"  continued  Father  Longwind — 
" '  Buried  with  him  by  baptism  into  death.'  Is  not  that  con- 
clusive evidence  ?  " 

"If  you  mean  death,"  responded  Halley,  "there  is  certainly 
no  similitude  between  being  put  under  water,  and  being  hung 
upon  a  cross,  between  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  to  die." 

"  No,  no ;  his  burial,  I  mean  :"  said  Father  Longwind. 

"  Very  well,  then ;  let  me  ask  who  it  was  that  used  this 
figure  ?  " 

"Why  Paul,  to  be  sure." 

"And  he  was  a  Jew?" 

"  Yes,  certainly." 

"  Then  let  me  ask,  how  did  the  Jews  dispose  of  their  dead  ?  " 

"How?  why " 

"  In  sepulchres,"  interrupted  George.  "  They  were  vaults  or 
rooms  dug  out  in  the  solid  rocks  —  or  perchance  sometimes 
natural  caverns  —  they  were  large  enough  for  a  whole  family. 
The  dead  were  generally  embalmed,  and  also  wrapped,  and  laid 
in  sepulchres." 

"  So  we  read,"  continued  Halley,  "  that  Jesus  was  not  buried, 
but  laid  in  a  sepulchre,  and  a  great  stone  rolled  to  the  mouth 
of  it.    This  is  a  bad  figure,  so  far ;  for  being  laid  in  a  sepulchre 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  109 

is  no  more  like  being  plunged  under  water,  than  your  being  laid 
upon  that  sofa  would  be  like  it." 

"I  do'nt  see  why  it  an't,"  said  Brother  Burton.  "These 
were  dark  vaults,  and  when  the  stone  was  rolled  to  the  mouth 
of  it  the  dead  would  be  literally  enclosed,  as  though  they  were 
buried  under  the  ground  —  in  the  '  heart  of  the  earth,'  as  the 
Scriptures  speak  of  Christ's  burial." 

"Anna,"  said  Halley,  "go  close  the  door  and  shut  to  the 
blinds,  and  then  let  us  imagine  that  we  are  literally  buried,  as 
much  so  as  if  we  were  in  our  coffins,  and  six  feet  of  earth  on 
our  bosoms  !  Who  would  not  laugh  at  us,  or  consider  us  insane, 
if  we  persisted  in  maintaining  such  an  idea  ?  But  who  was 
Paul  talking  to?  — the  Jews?" 

"  No,  to  the  Romans,"  replied  Father  Longwind.  "  This  is 
in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans." 

"  Then  perhaps  the  Romans  buried  their  dead,"  said  Halley, 
and  would  understand  the  figure,  even  if  Paul  himself  did  not  ?" 

"No,"  said  George;  "every  schoolboy  knows,  who  knows 
much  of  anything,  that  both  the  Greeks  and  the  Romans  con- 
sumed the  bodies  of  their  dead  with  fire  on  the  funeral  pile, 
and  gathered  the  ashes  into  an  urn  to  keep  as  a  sacred  relic  — 
burying  as  we  do  was,  generally,  if  not  entirely,  unknown 
among  them." 

"  Worse  and  worse,"  said  Halley.  "  Paul  told  the  Romans 
that  their  being  plunged  under  water  by  baptism,  was  a  type 
of  being  burned  to  ashes  on  a  funeral  pile  after  they  were  dead  ! 
What  a  beautiful,  appropriate,  and  forcible  figure  is  this ! 
Behold  here  was  a  man,  inspired  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  talk 
more  consistently,  forcibly  and  truly,  than  other  men,  aging  a 
figure  that  would  be  scouted  in  a  public  speaker,  and  from 
which  a  mere  tyro  in  the  knowledge  of  language  would  turn  in 
disgust !  How  I  would  like  to  see  a  Baptist  version  of  the 
Bible  !  But  here  truly  is  a  had  shadow,  which  they  know  not 
how  to  dispose  of!  They  have  got  the  length,  breadth,  height, 
10 


110  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

and  depth  —  in  fact,  all  the  dimensions  —  of  this  shadow  fully 
determined ;  hut  the  great  difficulty  is,  to  find  a  substance  cor- 
responding to  it.  They  hang  fast  hold  of  the  shadoio,  thinking 
that  thereby  they  must  be  on  the  track  of  something,  and  they 
first  measure  it  alongside  one  thing  and  then  of  another ;  but 
most  unfortunately  this  is  too  long,  that  too  short,  this  too 
broad,  and  that  too  narrow !  What  will  our  Baptist  friends  do 
with  their  shadow?" 

"  I  think  your  ridicule,  instead  of  falling  on  the  Baptists, 
falls  on  Paul,  who  wrote  the  Epistle,"  said  Father  Longwind. 
"  It  looks  to  me,  young  man,  like  daring  impiety,  to  speak  thus 
of  the  inspired  word  of  God  ! " 

"  Mistaken  again,"  said  Halley,  "  Paul  wrote  no  such  incon- 
sistent meaningless  sentence  as  you  ascribe  to  him.  On  the 
contrary,  everything  that  fell  from  his  lips  or  pen,  was  rich 
with  thought  and  appropriateness." 

"  What  do  you  make  of  it,  then  ? "  asked  Elder  Clayton, 
opening  his  eyes  wide  with  wonder,  at  the  shape  the  argument 
was  taking. 

"  Precisely  what  Paul  says,"  responded  Halley.  "  I  would 
not  make  anything  else  of  it  if  I  could.  If  it  were  simplified, 
it  would  read  thus  :  like  as  Christ  was  insensible  to  the  world, 
when  dead,  so  we  profess  to  the  world  by  our  baptism,  to  be 
dead  to  it  also ;  and  like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead, 
and  continued  for  a  time  in  the  world,  though  not  of  the  world, 
so  we  should  walk  in  newness  of  life,  living  only  unto  God. 
Baptism  —  the  word  j3arfr «j fiat oa  (baptismatos) — is  here  used, 
simply  because  through  it  we  profess  to  become  dead  to  the 
world.  The  Apostle  explains  himself  in  the  eleventh  verse : 
'  Likewise  reckon  ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin, 
and  alive  unto  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  Baptism  is, 
in  this  passage,  used  in  a  spiritual  sense,  and  thereby  it  is  in 
harmony  with  all  the  teachings  of  the  New  Testament.  To  illus- 
trate this,  Dr.  Edward  Becchcr  has  very  forcibly  and  properly 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH. 


Ill 


arranged  parallel  references  to  Christ  and  to  the  believer.  He 
says  :  '  The  sufferings  of  Christ  are  supposed  to  be  fully  before  the 
mind,  as  an  object  of  daily  meditation  and  imitation,  and  that 
whatever  took  place  naturally  in  connexion  with  the  sufferings 
of  Christ,  has  something  to  correspond  with  it  spiritually  in  its 
connexion  with  the  sufferings  of  believers.     Thus  : 


Christ. 

1.  Christ  suffered  naturally. 

2.  Christ  in  the  flesh,  i.  e.  body 
natural. 

3.  The  members  of  Christ's 
body  were  crucified. 

4.  Christ's  body  died  entirely. 
All  natural  life  was  totally  ex- 
tinct. 

5.  Christ's  natural  death  was 
for  sin. 

6.  Christ  was  buried  natu- 
rally, and  became  invisible  in 
the  grave. 

7.  Christ  rose  naturally,  and 
appeared  in  new  external  glory. 

8.  It  was  the  mighty  natural 
power  of  God  that  raised  Christ. 

9.  Christ  after  his  resurrec- 
tion sat  down  in  heavenly  places, 
bodily. 

10.  Christ  dies  naturally  no 
more ;  death  hath  no  more  do- 
minion over  him. 


The  Believer. 

1.  The  believer  suffers  spiritually. 

2.  The  believer  in  his  flesh,  i.  e. 
body  of  sin. 

3.  The  members  of  the  body  of 
sin  are  to  be  crucified. 

4.  The  body  of  sin,  the  old  man, 
the  flesh,  is  to  be  entirely  de- 
stroyed. 

5.  The  believer's  spiritual  death 
is  to  sin. 

6.  The  believer  is  to  be  buried 
spiritually,  and  to  become  invisible 
in  his  old  character. 

7.  The  believer  is  to  rise  spirit- 
ually, and  appear  in  a  new,  holy 
glorious,  spiritual  character. 

8.  It  is  the  mighty  power  of  God 
through  faith  that  raises  the  believer. 

9.  Believers  sit  down  by  faith,  in 
heavenly  places,  after  their  resur- 
rection. 

10.  Believers  die  in  sin  no  more  ; 
death  spiritual  hath  no  more  domi- 
nion over  them.' " 


"  I  find  the  most  difficulty  with  this  verse,"  said  Anna, 
"  '  Know  ye  not  that  so  many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into  Jesus 
Christ,  were  baptized  into  his  death?" 

"  Baptized  into  Jesus  Christ  and  into  his  death,"  said  Halley, 


112  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

"  is  a  poor  rendering  of  the  original  «ts  XptofT'ov,  'lyaovv,  hs  tor 
edvatov  (eis  Cforiston  Icsoim  cis  ton  tJianaton).  Here  occurs 
that  little  preposition  hi,  which  instead  of  having  been  trans- 
lated into,  should  have  been  rendered  to  or  unto.  We  have 
before  learned  that  it  does  not  always  mean  into  as  our  Baptist 
friends  have  asserted,  but  on  the  other  hand  has  twenty-six  sig- 
nifications ;  and  it  calls  upon  some  of  the  other  twenty-five  to 
properly  represent  it,  very  much  oftener  than  it  does  upon  into  ; 
and  here  in  this  passage  should  have  been  represented  in  En- 
glish by  unto,  as  every  classical  scholar  must  admit.  And  then 
it  would  have  read  thns :  '  Know  ye  not  that  so  many  of  us  as 
were  baptized  unto  Jesus  Christ,  were  baptized  unto  his  death  ;' 
that  is,  with  regard  to  the  design  of  his  death — the  great  lead- 
ing purpose  of  his  work — which  was  to  expiate  sin,  tafree  men 
from  its  power,  and  to  make  them  pure." 

"  That  is  certainly  satisfactory  to  me,"  said  Anna.  "  I  have 
noted  some  other  passages,"  she  continued,  with  a  sidelong 
glance  at  Brother  Burton,  "that  I  would  like  to  refer  to;  one 
is  1  Peter  iii.  21,  '  The  like  figure  whereunto  baptism  doth  now 
save  us,  not  the  putting  off  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer 
of  a  good  conscience  toward  God." 

"  There  Peter  expressly  says  that  baptism  doth  save  us," 
said  Halley ;  "  but  not  the  outward  rite,  which  is  a  putting  off 
the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  inward  or  spiritual  operation, 
through  which  we  are  purified  so  as  to  live  with  a  good  con- 
science toward  God." 

"  Docs  not  the  Savior  utter  a  like  sentiment?"  asked  Anna, 
when  he  says,  " '  Except  a  man  be  born  of  the  water  and  of 
the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 

"  Yes,  it  has  this  force.  Ye  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom 
of  God  by  merely  being  purified  with  baptismal  water,  but  ye 
must  be  sanctified  and  regenerated  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  This 
was  said  to  a  Jewish  Rabbi.  They,  the  Jews,  had  fallen  into 
the  error,  that  by  the  outward  rite  they  were  altogether  purified 
and  made  clean,  hence  they  had  become  whitcd  sepulchres,  as 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       113 

Jesus  told  thein,  outwardly  beautiful,  but  inwardly  full  of  cor- 
ruption. Tbis  idea  of  tbeirs  Jesus  many  times  rebuked,  as  he 
did  in  tbe  words  of  the  text  you  cited.  And  be  labored  to 
(each  them  that  something  beyond  the  outward  rite  was  neces- 
sary to  fit  them  to  enter  the  kingdom  of  God." 

"  I  have  one  passage  more,"  said  Anna :  "  it  is  in  Eph.  iv.  5. 
'  One  Lord,  one  faith,  and  one  baptism." 

"  If  this  refers  to  a  mode,"  said  Halley,  "  it  refers  to  it  in 
distinction  from  some  other  mode  of  baptism  then  in  use, 
teaching  that  Christian  baptism  was  different  from  something 
else  of  the  same  name,  and  so  it  can  be  turned  against  the  ad- 
vocates of  immersion.  If  it  implies  a  mode,  it  can  furnish  no 
aid  to  the  immersionists,  though  they  have  always  made  free  use 
of  it  in  proselyting — but  that  it  does,  is  not  tenable  ground  by 
any  means.  If  you  observe  the  context,  you  will  discover  that 
the  Apostle  was  exhorting  them  to  unity,  '  To  keep  the  unity 
of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,'  for  he  assured  them  that 
there  was  one  body,  one  Spirit,  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism, 
one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  in  you  all,  and 
through  you  all ;  hence  with  all  meekness  and  long-suffering 
they  should  bear  and  forbear  with  each  other  in  love.  You  will 
discover  at  once  that  it  is  the  ordinance  that  is  referred  to,  and 
the  idea  is  that  they  have  all  had  the  same  consecration  to  the 
Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost  in  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  If 
there  had  been  half  a  dozen  different  modes,  his  phraseology 
would  still  have  been  '  one  baptism,'  i.  e.  one  consecration.  But  in 
Heb.  vi.  2,  the  Apostle  speaks  of  the  doctrine  of  baptisms:  here 
the  plural  is  used,  baptisms,  but  it  evidently  means  that  of 
water  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  first  as  a  type  of  the  second ; 
for  we  have  no  account  of  other  baptisms,  which  may  be  con- 
sidered as  belonging  to  the  doctrines  our  Savior  taught,  or  to  his 
Church.  The  Apostle  was  exhorting  them  '  to  leave  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  doctrines  of  Christ/  which  were  '  the  doctrine  of 
baptisms 'and  laying  on  of  hands,'  etc." 

10*  H 


114  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

Brother  Burton  here  started  up  and  declared  he  was  sure  of 
one  thing — that  many  eminent  Presbyterian  divines,  and  others, 
had  admitted  that  immersion  was  the  apostolic  mode  of  bap- 
tism, and  if  they  had'nt  found  evidences  to  sustain  their 
sprinkling  he  did'nt  see  how  anybody  else  could." 

Halley  smiled  and  said  that  he  was  ready  to  admit  for  the 
sake  of  argument  —  although  the  facts  in  the  case,  as  found  in 
the  Biblo  testimony,  created  no  such  necessity,  as  they  must  be 
willing  to  acknowledge,  he  thought,  by  that  time ;  but  still,  just 
for  the  sake  of  argument,  he  would  admit  that  John  baptized 
by  the  immersion  of  the  whole  body  in  the  river  Jordan,  that 
Jesus  himself  was  thus  baptized,  and  subsequently  that  the 
Apostles  thus  baptized  their  converts;  yet  he  could  find  suffi- 
cient evidence  in  the  nature  of  the  ordinance  to  convince  him 
or  any  sane  man  who  would  view  the  matter  candidly,  that  that 
particular  form  was  not  essential  to  the  ordinance — just  as  many 
an  eminent  divine  had  before  him,  and  thinking  such  evidence 
sufficient  had  sought  for  no  other. 

Father  Longwind  laughed  outright,  and  thought  beyond  dis- 
pute the  young  man  was  macl.  "  What,  admit  all  we  claim  as 
to  the  form,  and  then  prove  that  it  can  be  administered  in  some 
other  way  —  impossible  ! " 

11  Brother  Burton  snapped  his  eyes  and  fingers  in  eagerness 
for  the  contest,  thinking  if  he  was  to  have  his  own  ground  to 
work  on,  there  could  be  no  question  as  to  the  result.  And  even 
Anna  doubted  the  propriety  of  the  position. 

"  Permit  me,"  said  Halley,  "  to  ask,  how  we  are  to  obey  the 
commands  of  Christ?  Are  we  to  obey  the  full  letter  —  that  is 
literally,  or  obey  simply  the  spirit  of  those  commands?" 

"Literally,  of  course,"  exclaimed  Elder  Burton,  with  the 
greatest  assurance. 

"  May  I  ask  if  you  do  '  of  course,'  obey  his  commands  in 
that  way?" 

"  Certainly,  this  is  what  I  intend  to  do.     If  Christ  was  im- 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  115 

mersed,  then  when  we  are  commanded  to  repent  and  to  be 
baptized,  we  are  of  course  commanded  to  repent  and  to  be 
immersed,  and  if  we  do  anything  else  we  do  not  obey,  and  it  is 
not  baptism." 

"  But  you  do  not  claim  this  command  to  be  an  exception  — 
one  single  exception — to  all  the  other  commands  of  Christ,  i.  e. 
that  it  alone  is  to  be  obeyed  literally,  and  all  the  others  simply 
in  the  Spirit  or  substantial  part  of  them  ?  " 

"  No,  of  course  not ;  I  mentioned  this  as  an  example.  All 
of  the  commands  of  Christ  should  be  obeyed  fully,  both  in  the 
letter  and  in  the  Spirit." 

"  Yes,  that  is  the  position  I  expected  you  to  take.  Then 
when  Christ  says,  '  After  this  manner  pray  ye,'  he  gives  an 
express  command,  and  a  very  definite  form — the  form  is  carried 
out  from  beginning  to  end ;  and,  according  to  your  position 
taken  in  respect  to  baptism,  when  you  are  commanded  to  pray, 
you  are  expected  to  repeat  this  form,  and  if  you  repeat  any  other 
it  is  not  prayer." 

"  0  no,  no,  that  can't  be  ! " 

"  Can't  be  ?  It  is  the  necessary  result  of  your  own  reasoning. 
Christ  also  went  up  into  a  mountain  and  continued  all  night  in 
prayer;  he  also  fell  on  his  face  and  prayed;  do  you  imitate 
him  in  this  respect  as  well  as  in  baptism  ?  Christ  also  says 
'  Take  no  thought  for  your  life,  what  ye  shall  eat,  or  what  ye 
shall  drink,  nor  yet  for  your  body  what  ye  shall  put  on.'  Here 
too  is  an  express  command  which  not  only  cuts  off  the  anxiety 
of  a  clergyman  looking  after  his  salary,  but  also  all  of  the  now 
considered  laudable  seeking  for  the  comforts  of  life.  Do  you 
keep  these  express  commands  literally  as  well  as  in  the  Spirit, 
Brother  Burton?" 

"  0,  I  understand  this  to  mean,"  said  Brother  Burton,  "  not 
to  make  these  thoughts  for  life  the  chief  and  predominant  object 
of  our  care,  to  the  exclusion  of  God." 

"  Ah  !  this  is  what  you  tinderstand  it  to  mean,  and  I  suppose 


116  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

you  would  understand  that  this  form  of  prayer  was  only  to  teach 
us  what  it  is  proper  to  pray  for,  and  with  what  spirit  we  should 
come  ?  " 

"  Certainly ;  certainly,  we  can't  suppose  that  Christ  intended 
to  limit  every  Christian,  from  that  age  to  this,  to  this  prayer 
and  to  this  only." 

"  Then  let  me  beg  of  you  to  consider  for  a  moment  what 
liberty  you  are  taking  with  the  express  commands  of  Christ. 
Christ  says  do  thus  and  so  —  every  part  of  the  act  being  dis- 
tinctly specified,  and  yet  you,  a  Baptist  too,  who  believes  in 
literal  obedience,  assume  to  say  that  it  is  your  opinion  that  Christ 
did  not  intend  to  limit  you  to  just  such  and  such  precise  forms 
and  acts  which  he  specifies,  but  only  that  you  should  obey  their 
spirit.  You  say,  if  you  come  to  God  in  prayer  with  a  conscious- 
ness of  the  perfection  of  his  attributes,  trusting  to  his  Fatherly 
care  for  all  good,  both  temporal  and  spiritual,  forgiving  others 
as  you  hope  to  be  forgiven,  and  with  submission  to  his  divine 
will,  that  thus  you  have  truly  and  in  the  most  acceptable 
manner  obeyed  this  command  of  Christ  regarding  prayer;  more 
truly,  perhaps,  than  if  you  had  employed  his  words  to  express 
those  feelings.  Also  that  it  is  your  duty  to  take  thought  for 
life,  for  '  he  who  provideth  not  for  his  own  household  is  worse 
than  an  infidel,'  and  also  we  are  commanded  <  to  be  diligent  in 
business,'  as  well  as  '  fervent  in  spirit,'  and  as  a  consequence 
you  conclude  that  Christ  did  not  mean  exactly  what  he  said, 
1  That  you  shall  take  no  thought  for  the  morrow  or  for  life/ 
provided  you  will  take  more  thought  for  God." 

"Why,  yes;  I  believe  it  is  universally  conceded  that  some 
such  things  as  these  are  not  to  be  obeyed  literal/// :  perhaps  I 
expressed  myself  loosely  when  I  said  that  all  the  commands  of 
Christ  were  to  be  obeyed  literally,  I  should  have  said  the  greater 
part  of  them." 

"Then  you  concede  that  it  would  he  decided///  inconvenient 
to  obey  literally  in  all  things ;  but  what  mark  has  Christ  left  on 


THE     INQUIRER    AFTER     TRUTH.  117 

those  lie  intends  to  have  literally  obeyed  ?  They  should  have 
some  kind  of  badge,  or  else  there  would  be  a  liability  to  mis- 
take !  Let  us  look  up  some  more,  and  see  if  we  can  discover 
any  distinguishing  mark  !  Christ  told  his  disciples  when  they 
went  out  to  preach,  '  to  provide  neither  silver  nor  gold,  nor 
brass  for  their  purses,  nor  yet  scrip  for  their  journey,  neither 
two  coats,  nor  shoes,  for  the  workman  is  worthy  of  his  hire.' 
This  I  presume  you  will  not  hesitate  to  put  down  in  the  class 
not  literal,  because  it  would  be  a  decidedly  inconvenient  manner 
of  traveling;  and  also,  '  When  thou  fastest  anoint  thy  head,' 
etc.,  —  'and  when  a  man  compels  you  to  go  one  mile,  go  with 
him  two ;  and  when  one  takes  away  your  coat,  give  him  your 
cloak  also ;  and  when  a  man  smites  you  on  one  cheek,  turn  to 
him  the  other  also ;'  all  these,  you  will  say,  clearly  belong  to  the 
not  literal! 

"  But  here  is  one.  After  Jesus  had  washed  their  feet,  and 
taken  his  garments,  and  was  set  down  again,  he  said  unto  his 
disciples,  '  I  have  given  you  an  example  that  ye  should  do  as  I 
have  done  unto  you.'  Whatever  you  may  say  of  the  others, 
this  has  beyond  question  the  appearance  of  belonging  to  the 
class  of  literals.  He  gave  an  example,  and  an  example  is  given 
for  the  purpose  of  being  followed.  May  I  ask  Brother  Burton 
how  often  he  has  washed  the  feet  of  his  brethren  in  obedience 
to  this  command  of  his  Master  ?  " 

Brother  Burton  evidently  annoyed,  hesitatingly  replied  that 
he  thought  that  example  was  given  to  teach  us  humility. 

"  It  may  be  inconvenient  or  unfashionable,"  said  Halley ; 
"  but  nevertheless  Christ  says,  '  I  have  given  you  an  example 
that  you  should  do  as  I  have  done  unto  you;'  and  he  who  pre- 
tends to  a  literal  obedience,  and  yet  overlooks  so  important, 
express,  and  plainly  given  command  of  his  Master  as  this,  can 
hardly  expect  others  to  give  him  the  credit  of  believing  what 
he  himself  declares  he  believes  with  regard  to  literal  obedience." 

"I  think,"   said    Brother  Burton,  "that    literal    obedience 


118  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

should  be  limited  to  the  ordinances  of  the  church  —  baptism, 
and  the  Lord's  Supper.  They  certainly  should  be  literally  ob- 
served, just  as  Christ  and  his  disciples  observed  them.  And 
we  should  not  know  that  these  ordinances  were  proper  and  ac- 
ceptable to  God,  unless  they  had  either  been  enjoined  or  prac- 
tised :  so  whatever  is  connected  with  them,  both  as  it  regards 
the  subject  and  the  mode,  must  receive  the  same  sanction;  and 
to  depart  in  the  least  respect  from  the  manner  in  which  they 
were  originally  practised,  changes  the  whole  nature  of  the  in- 
stitution, and  converts  an  ordinance  of  God  into  the  mere  will 
worship  of  man.  A  church  which  does  not  keep  these  two  or- 
dinances pure,  cannot  be  said  to  be  a  gospel  church." 

"  Let  me  repeat  your  position  as  now  taken,"  said  Halley ; 
"  and  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  it  is  precisely  the  same  as  that 
taken  by  ( the  great  expounder  of  Baptist  orthodox)/,'  a  Southern 
editor  and  author ;  and  by  it,  the  literal  interpretation  is  limited 
to  the  ordinances  of  the  church.  Our  Baptist  brethren  have 
discovered  the  great  secret  pass-word  or  sign,  by  which  this  im- 
portant truth  is  made  known,  by  which  their  brethren  of  other 
denominations  are  in  commiserated  ignorance,  and  in  conse- 
quence of  their  superior  knowledge,  have  decided  that  to  depart 
in  the  least  respect  from  the  manner  in  which  these  ordinances 
were  originally  practised,  changes  the  whole  nature  of  the  in- 
stitution, and  converts  an  ordinance  of  God  into  the  mere  will 
worship  of  man.  Now  let  us  examine  the  ordinance  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  remembering  we  are  not  to  depart  in  the  least 
respect  from  the  original  manner.  They  assembled  in  an  upper 
room  (Luke  xxii.  12).  They  reclined  on  the  usual  sofa  or 
couch  on  which  the  ancients  reposed  at  their  meals  (John  xiii. 
23-25).  It  was  night  (John  xiii.  30).  They  ate  unleavened 
bread,  such  as  was  used  in  the  Passover  (Ex.  xii.  19).  The 
wine  they  drank  was  that  of  Palestine  —  a  red  wine.  It  was 
kept  in  leathern  bottles.  It  was  served  in  peculiar  vessels 
The  bread  was  made  in  a  particular  fashion.     The  clothes  of 


TIIE     INQUIRER     AFTER    TRUTH.  119 

the  guests  were  of  a  certain  form.  Yet  Christ  said,  '  Do  this 
in  remembrance  of  me/  And  you  say,  Brother  Burton,  that 
to  depart  in  the  least  respect  from  the  manner  in  which  this  or- 
dinance was  instituted,  changes  the  whole  nature  of  the  insti- 
tution, and  converts  an  ordinance  of  God  into  mere  icill  worship 
of  man !  Let  us  now  enter  a  Baptist  church  at  the  Commu- 
nion season.  There  is  nothing  like  the  original  institution 
when  the  twelve  gathered  around  their  Lord,  either  in  time, 
place,  surroundings,  manner  of  the  ordinance,  or  material  used 
— nothing  to  remind  one  of  it,  except  the  mere  act  of  breaking 
bread  and  pouring  out  of  wine.  Everything  else  is  changed. 
There  was  there  no  exclusiveness  —  same  of  Christ's  followers 
saying  to  others,  Stand  aside,  for  we  are  holier  than  thou. 
There  were  none  of  Christ's  sorrowing  children  there,  crowded 
into  one  corner  looking  on,  but  not  partaking.  There  were  no 
ladies  there  to  share  the  smiles  of  their  Lord.  All  —  all  is 
changed  —  how  changed  !  Have  not  then  our  Baptist  friends 
departed  in  the  least  respect  from  the  very  original  manner  of 
the  ordinance?  By  your  own  judgment  you  are  judged  and 
condemned.  According  to  your  own  reasoning,  you  are  not  a 
gospel  church  !  But  again,  Jesus  said,  '  This  is  my  body,  and 
this  is  my  blood,  which  is  shed  for  you.'  If  our  Baptist  friends 
are  sure  this  ordinance  has  a  literal  interpretation,  then  conse- 
quently here  is  a  literal  transmutation  into  the  real  body  and 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ;  and  as  a  necessary  secpuence  of  their 
own  reasoning,  they  partake  of  the  real  body  and  blood  of  their 
Lord,  whenever  they  approach  his  table.  It  seems  to  me  that 
they  might  sympathize  fully  on  this  point  with  their  Roman 
Catholic  neighbors,  as  they  imagine  others  might  with  them  in 
the  form  of  baptism." 

"  "\\  e  don't  believe  any  such  thing,"  said  Brother  Burton. 
'•  We  don't  believe  in  transubstantiation  any  more  than  you  do." 

"  But  you  should  — you  should  most  assuredly  believe  in  it, 
if  you  have  faith  in  your  own  reasoning ;  or  have  you  discovered 


120  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

by  this  invisible  sign  spoken  of — visible  only  to  a  few  of  the 
most  enlightened  Baptist  eyes  —  that  only  parts  of  these  ordi- 
nances are  to  be  literal,  and  just  such  parts  too  as  it  shall  please 
you  to  name  ?  By  what  authority  do  you  say  that  this,  that, 
and  the  other  thing,  which  will  twist  the  Bible  into  conformity 
to  your  creed,  are  literal,  and  everything  else  figurative,  meta- 
phorical, on  exceedingly  ambiguous,  and  hard  to  be  understood? 
At  first  we  have  an  assertion  that  all  the  express  commands  of 
Christ  are  to  be  literally  obeyed ;  but  discovering  the  absurdity 
of  this  position,  you  beat  a  retreat  into  the  larger  fraction  of 
them,  and  then  still  further,  into  the  church  and  its  ordinances, 
just  as  though  every  command  of  Christ  was  not  a  rule  to 
govern  the  life  of  the  members  of  his  body !  But  we  follow 
you  there — into  the  ordinances  —  even  into  the  two  citadels  of 
Baptist  faith,  and  we  learn  that  your  embankments  are  but  the 
drifting  sand,  and  your  cannon  voiceless  phantoms !  Even 
your  own  reasonings,  your  own  guns  disturb  you  as  much  as 
your  enemies,  and  between  arranging  the  one  and  the  dodging 
of  the  other,  you  have  a  sorry  time  of  it,  indeed ! 

"  It  would  not  look  well  to  say  that  only  one — just  one  single 
command  of  our  Savior  was  to  be  obeyed  in  the  letter,  and  all 
the  rest  regarded  simply  in  their  spirit,  and  that  too  without 
being  able  to  point  out  the  difference  in  phraseology  or  design 
between  this  and  the  other,  so  as  to  satisfactorily  account  for 
the  difference  in  the  interpretation  ;  and  consequently  you  (brow 
out  a  remark  which  may  mean  much  or  little,  not  at  all  definite 
in  its  limitation,  but  varying  according  to  the  concessions  of 
each  individual  mind,  and  all  for  the  purpose  of  covering  up 
this  exceedingly  limited  limitation.  The  truth  is,  you  your- 
selves do  not  pretend  to  literal  obedience  except  in  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism — this  one  single  ordinance — although  in  your 
theory  you  throw  out  a  general  remark  to  make  believe  you 
have  an  abundance  of  the  kind  in  reserve,  and  simply  speak  of 
that  by  way  of  example !     Take  down  your  false  colors,  and 


TEE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  121 

talk  just  what  you  practise — just  what  you  believe  !  You  A- how 
you  do  not  literally  keep  any  of  the  commands  of  Christ — not 
even  the  one  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper  I" 

"  I  think/'  said  Father  Longwind,  "  that  we  shall  have  to 
concede  this  point,  we  can  do  it  with  all  safety ;  but  as  to  the 
other,  —  that  of  baptism, — we  will  stick  to  it  as  long  as  we  are 
Baptists." 

"  Yes,"  responded  Halley,  "  you  must  stick  to  that,  or  you 
cease  to  be  Baptists.  But  now  look  at  the  consistency  of  the 
matter.  You  suppose  immersion  to  have  been  practised  by  the 
Apostles,  and  you  argue  that  this  command  alone  must  bo 
literally  obeyed ;  i.  e.  that  it  must  be  carried  out  strictly  as  you 
conjecture  it  was  first  administered — and  thus  conjecture,  too,  in 
the  very  teeth  of  opposing  probabilities  and  overwhelming 
testimony ;  in  the  very  face  and  'eyes  of  all  Gospel  simplicity 
and  consistency  of  statement !  You  recklessly  argue,  and  pre- 
tend to  believe,  that  it  was  the  design  of  Christ  to  so  embody 
the  form  in  the  ordinance,  that  a  departure  from  it  in  the  least 
respect,  or  as  we  might  say  a  violation  of  the  smallest  letter, 
would  as  much  nullify  the  whole  ordinance,  as  a  violation  of  its 
spirit ! " 

"  What  is  that?"  asked  Brother  Burton. 

"  Why  you  believe  the  form  of  dipping  to  be  essential  to  the 
ordinance  of  baptism?"  said  Halley. 

"  Yes,  certainly,"  responded  Brother  Burton. 

"  You  also  believe  that  there  is  some  preparation  of  heart 
previous  to  the  form  of  dipping  essential  to  the  ordinance?" 

"Why,  yes;  one  must  repent  and  have  faith  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ." 

"  Very  well,  that  is  just  as  I  stated  it :  the  outward  form  is 
the  letter,  and  the  inward  operation  is  the  Spirit  —  now  for  an 
example.  Two  men  take  upon  themselves  the  ordinance  of 
baptism.  One  has  for  a  motive  and  end  to  make  gain  of  his 
church  connection ;  the  other  a  repentant,  humble  man,  de- 
ll 


122  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

signing,  by  the  assisting  grace  of  God,  to  live  as  a  traveler  and 
stranger  here — as  one  who,  whilst  serving  his  master  faithfully, 
is  seeking  a  better  country.  Side  by  side  they  approach  the 
stream.  The  first  party,  whom  we  will  call  Simon  Magus,  is 
led  by  an  attending  minister  of  the  Gospel  into  the  stream  and 
wholly  immersed  in  its  waters :  the  other,  whom  we  will  call 
Penitent,  kneels  upon  the  bank  and  some  of  the  pure  water  of 
the  stream  is  poured  or  sprinkled  upon  him,  and  over  both  is 
breathed  in  solemn  awe  the  name  of  the  Triune  God.  Now  do 
you  suppose  that  God's  recording  angel  would  register  Simon 
Magus  as  properly  baptized,  and  therefore  accepted ;  whilst 
trembling  Penitent's  baptism  would  be  written  down  an  entire 
failure,  and  he  consequently  rejected?" 

"  0,  please  do'nt,"  interrupted  Anna ;  "  please  do'nt  suppose 
such  a  case  possible  !  Is  not  God  a  searcher  of  hearts  ?  Then 
of  what  importance  to  him  is  such  hypocrisy  —  such  trickery 
and  show  ?  " 

"  But,"  said  Halley,  "if  the  form  is  an  essential  part  of  the 
ordinance,  then  God  has  so  arranged  matters  that  Simon  Magus 
can  be  baptized  as  well  as  anybody  else ;  and  so  far  as  God's 
requirement  is  met  in  him,  so  far  He  is  bound  to  be  pleased 
with  him.  Now  I  have  met  you,  Brother  Burton,  with  an  ex- 
tension of  your  own  reasoning;  and  I  will  leave  it  for  any 
rational  and  intelligent  being,  who  has  a'  knowledge  of  God  as 
revealed  in  His  word,  to  decide  which  of  the  two  God  would 
accept — keeping  in  mind  of  course  that  immersion  is  the  letter 
of  the  ordinance,  would  he  accept  the  hypocrite  under  the  water 
or  the  kneeling,  humble  penitent  upon  the  bank  ?  Would  he 
accept  the  letter  or  the  spirit?  The  burden  of  our  Savior's 
teachings  was  that  the  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  alone  maketh 
alive. 

"  Now  let  us  look  at  this  subject  in  another  light.  Is  it 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  a  religion,  which  was  intended  for 
all  nations  of  the  earth,  would  have  in  it,  and  nccessar//  to  the 


THE     INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  123 

administering  of  one  of  its  ordinances,  a  command  -which  it  was 
impossible  to  obey  at  any  place  and  at  any  time  ?  But  immer- 
sion cannot  be  practised  in  the  cold  northern  regions  of  the 
earth  at  all  for  a  large  fraction  of  the  year,  and  at  no  time  with 
impunity;  yet  there  are  human  beings  there  with  souls  as 
precious  as  yours  or  mine — and  they  must  perish,  or  avail  them- 
selves of  this  religion  and  its  benefits.  When  God  instituted 
this  ordinance  his  all-seeing  eye  was  upon  every  human  being, 
every  living  soul,  that  then  thronged  the  teeming  earth,  or 
that  has  since  existed  upon  it,  or  that  now  exists,  or  that  will 
exist  down  to  the  end  of  time ;  and  to  suppose,  for  an  instant, 
that  He  instituted  an  ordinance  commanding  them,  or  any  por- 
tion of  them,  to  do  what  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  do,  is, 
to  say  the  least,  wholly  absurd  ! 

"  The  Lord's  supper  was  characterized  by  the  utmost  sim- 
plicity. At  the  close  of  the  Paschal  feast,  Christ  took  a  portion 
of  the  bread  and  wine  which  was  left,  and  said,  Eat  and  drink 
this  in  remembrance  of  me.  There  was  no  elaborate  prepara- 
tion— no  show  attached  to  it.  The  design  was  spiritual,  and  the 
form  was  nothing.  All  that  was  attached  to  it  was  spiritual. 
Unleavened  bread  was  used,  but  no  one  supposes  that  Christ 
intended  that  that  peculiar  kind  of  bread  must  always  be  used  or 
the  ordinance  become  a  nullity.  They  were  also  served  in  a 
peculiar  manner  at  a  table  —  but  Christians  do  not  think  it 
necessary  to  imitate  that  peculiar  manner,  although  Christ  said 
'  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me.'  They  understand,  and  rightly 
too,  that  the  design  of  this  ordinance  is  spiritual,  all  its  benefits 
spiritual,  and  its  form  —  nothing  !  This  simplicity  and  spirit- 
uality are  the  essence  of  the  whole  New  Testament,  and  there- 
fore it  must  be  found  in  the  ordinance  of  baptism. 

"  This  ordinance  too,  like  its  mate,  must  be  so  simple  that  it 
can  be  administered  anywhere  and  under  all  circumstances — on 
the  bleak  and  frozen  shores  of  Iceland-  and  Greenland,  and 
alon<r  the  ice-bound  coast  of  the  Antarctic  Continent,  as  well  as 


124  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

in  milder  and  tropical  regions ;  in  the  broad  and  fertile  valleys, 
in  the  parched  desert  and  on  the  barren  and  arid  plain.  But 
this  is  not  true  of  immersion  :  there  is,  in  many  thickly  inhabited 
regions  of  the  earth,  a  natural  barrier  rendering  this  mode  of 
the  ordinance  of  baptism  an  impossibility.  The  question  is, 
then,  simply  this — has  God  made  the  ordinance  of  baptism  an 
exception  —  one  lone  exception  —  to  all  the  other  commands,  to 
the  other  of  the  two  ordinances,  and  to  the  whole  spirit  and 
teachings  of  the  New  Testament,  and  of  his  word  ?  And  if  he 
has,  it  is  for  you  to  show  where  and  how !  The  onus  probcundi 
is  thrown  upon  your  shoulders !  Where  are  the  evidences  ? 
Point  to  the  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord  ? '  How  is  this  ordinance 
materially  different  in  its  design  and  effects  from  the  other  ordi- 
nance of  the  Church  —  the  Lord's  Supper? 

"  But  it  has  been  proved  that  baptism  is  symbolic,  that  its 
use  is  merely  as  a  symbol,  and  that  it  has  a  significance  not  found 
in  the  Greek  use  of  the  word ;  that  its  import  is  purely  Chris- 
tian. If  you  deny  this,  you  affirm  it  to  be  merely  a  plunge-bath, 
of  no  use  except  to  wash  away  the  filth  of  the  flesh  :  it  could  no 
longer  be  an  ordinance  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  It  is  either 
a  plung e-bath  or  a  symbol;  and  in  case  it  is  a  symbol,  the  quan- 
tity of  water,  whether  it  be  much  or  little,  can  make  no  possible 
difference  whatever.  If  there  is  any  force  in  the  reasoning  that 
/3artn?w  must  mean  to  immerse  or  cover  the  body  with  water, 
then  I  add  that  the  Lord's  supper  —  xv^iaxov  htlitvov  (jku/riakon 
deipnon),  see  1  Cor.  xi.  20  —  must  mean,  from  the  same  reason- 
ing, '  a  full  im  ill,  a  feast,  a  banquet.'  It  is  just  as  necessary  a 
deduction  that  if  we  have  not  eaten  a  full  meal  (purtvov')  at  the 
Lord's  table,  we  have  not  eaten  the  Lord's  supper,  as,  that  our 
bodies  must  be  wholly  immersed  in  water,  to  be  baptized — one 
has  just  as  much  force  and  weight  as  the  other.  But  the 
quantity  at  the  Lord's  table,  our  Baptist  friends  admit  with  us, 
is  not  essential  to  the  ordinance.  Although  the  meaning  of  the 
word  used  demands  a  full  meal,  yet,  strange  as  it  may  appear, 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  125 

they  have  overlooked  the  literal  meaning  of  the  word,  and  be- 
lieve, with  us,  that  they  have  eaten  the  Lord's  Supper  when  they 
have  taken  and  used  only  the  smallest  portion  of  each  element ! 
And  to  be  consistent,  and  by  an  extension  of  the  same  reason- 
ing to  the  other  ordinance,  we  infer  that  we  have  been  baptized 
just  as  fully  and  acceptably  when  we  have  had  only  a  small 
cpuantity  of  water  applied  to  us,  as  though  we  had  been  dipped 
or  immei-sed  in  a  whole  river  or  pond.  Ay,  more  acceptably ! 
For  the  Apostle  Paul  charged  the  Corinthian  Church  with 
abusing  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  because  they  made 
use  of  more  food  than  the  design  of  the  ordinance  required; 
and  may  not  the  same  charge  be  brought  against  our  Baptist 
friends  in  respect  to  the  ordinance  of  baptism  ?  You  say  that 
j3a7it^u>  must  mean  to  be  covered  with  water,  because  the  Greeks 
used  it  in  this  sense ;  we  reply,  then,  that  htixvov  (dejjpnon) 
must  mean  to  eat  a  full  meal,  because  the  Greeks  used  it  in  this 
sense.  A  full  meal  was  the  common  everyday  meaning  of 
bsiitwv,  as  much  as  to  dip  was  the  common  every-day  meaning 
of  fiarttiZu).  It  would  be  just  as  sensible  to  make  a,  feast  of  one 
as  a  bath  of  the  other.  But  Paul  rebukes  our  seeking  after 
heathen  significations  of  terms,  and  teaches  us  that  the  Chris- 
tian use  of  them  is  altogether  different.  '  What,'  says  he, 
'  have  ye  not  houses  to  eat  and  drink  in  ? '  And  he  might  have 
added,  as  I  think  he  would,  if  he  had  lived  in  this  age  of  the 
world  and  witnessed  the  exhibition  and  teachings  of  our  Baptist 
friends  and  also  the  accommodations  for  bathing  in  general  use, 
1  What,  and  have  ye  not  bath-rooms  at  home,  and  must  you  come 
together  to  abuse  this  ordinance  also  ? '  He  says  again,  '  If  any 
man  hunger  let  him  eat  at  home,  that  ye  come  not  together 
unto  condemnation.' 

"  I  have  been  looking  out  for  a  sect  to  start  up  with  the  lite- 
ral interpretation,  such  as  our  Baptist  friends  use  in  the  single 
instance  of  baptism,  carried  out  through  the  whole  system  of 
their  faith ;  or  at  least  one  that  should  literalize  both  the  ordi- 
11* 


126  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

nances  of  the  church ;  and  just  consider  for  a  moment  what 
the  consequences  would  be.  They  would  not  only  reason  that 
because  the  purely  Greek  sense  of  j3artti^w  is  to  dip,  to  plunge, 
to  immerse,  etc.,  that  consequently  a  person  must  be  dipped  to 
be  baptized;  but  also  that  because  the  purely  Greek  sense  of 
SsCitvov  is  a  full  meal,  a  feast,  a  banquet,  etc.,  that  therefore  a 
person  must  eat  and  drink  to  satiety,  or  he  has  not  eaten  the 
Lord's  Supper;  and  that  all  churches  not  living  up  to  the  full 
letter  of  these  ordinances  are  not  gospel  churches ! 

"  Without  doubt  our  Baptist  friends  would  have  added  the 
last  to  that  of  baptism — for  they  sadly  need  it,  as  well  as  others, 
to  make  out  and  establish  the  consistency  of  their  course  and 
teachings  —  if  the  Corinthian  Church  had  not  fallen  into  the 
same  error  in  time  for  Paul  to  set  the  matter  right,  What 
consequences  would  flow  from  the  favoring  and  endorsing  of 
such  errors,  we  may  gather  from  the  sorrowful  experiences  of 
this  church.  Paul  says,  '  Some  were  hungry,  and  others  were 
drunken ! '  Behold  a  band  of  revellers  heated  with  wine  com- 
memorating the  death  and  sufferings  of  their  Lord  !  Behold  a 
church  of  drunkards !  Behold  the  long-drawn-out  catalogue 
of  horrors  which  follow  in  such  a  train  !  What  true  Christian 
would  not  turn  with  soul-sick  loathing  from  the  scene!  Yet 
this  is  the  natural  result  of  your  own  reasoning,  extended  to 
both  the  ordinances  of  the  church,  Brother  Burton ;  and  if 
fully  carried  out,  it  must  inevitably  lead  to  it.  There  is  no 
possible  reason  for  one  being  literal,  and  the  other  not  literal ! 
No  reason  as  found  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  or  the  ordinance ; 
and  nothing  but  a  direct  and  positive  command  from  Jehovah 
himself — from  Him  who  instituted  these  ordinances — that  this 
one  ordinance  should  be  considered  thus  and  so,  as  you  consider 
it,  could  possibly,  or  should,  convince  an  enlightened  and  in- 
quiring mind  which  thinks  more  of  the  truth  and  word  of  God, 
than  of  the  creeds  of  men ! 

"  But  now  let  us  for  a  moment  contemplate  again  the  idea 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       127 

and  the  result  of  Christ's  attaching  a  particular  form  to  an  or- 
dinance, so  as  to  make  that  farm  an  essential  part  of  it.  Let 
me  ask  you,  Brother  Burton,  if  a  person  could  not  come  to  the 
Lord's  table,  observing  all  the  proprieties  of  the  time  and  place 
perfectly  as  to  outward  form,  and  yet  eat  and  drink  damnation 
to  his  own  soul  ? " 

"  Why,  yes,  I  suppose  so ;  one  must  discern  the  Lord's  body, 
says  Paul,  or  else  he  eats  and  drinks  unworthily,"  responded 
Brother  Burton  languidly. 

"And  that  is  an  operation  of  the  mind,"  continued  Halley. 
"  Paul  says,  '  Examine  yourselves ;'  tbat  too  is  a  mental  opera- 
tion entirely  distinct  from  the  form  of  the  ordinance,  so  that 
whether  we  in  reality  commemorate  the  Lord's  death,  depends 
not  on  obedience  to  the  letter  of  the  ordinance,  for  we  might 
obey  the  letter  perfectly,  and  still  heap  guilt  upon  our  souls ; 
but  what  is  required  is  an  obedience  to  the  spirit  of  the  ordi- 
nance— a  discerning  of  the  Lord's  body.  Xow  let  me  ask  you 
if  a  person  might  not  take  upon  himself  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tism, after  the  most  approved  Baptist  manner,  and  still  be  at 
heart  a  deceiver  or  self-deceived  ?  Take  it  upon  himself  from 
precisely  the  same  motive  that  a  man,  who  wears  religion  as  a 
cloak,  would  approach  the  communion-table  with  sanctimonious 
gravity  and  outward  punctiliousness ;  and  would  not  the  sacri- 
lege be  the  same  in  nature,  and  equally  abhorrent  in  the  eyes 
of  God?" 

"  Certainly,  certainly,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  many 
a  person  enters  into  a  church  by  baptism,  and  regularly  com- 
munes with  us,  who  is  at  heart  a  Simon  Magus,  '  most  truly  in 
the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  the  bonds  of  iniquity.'  " 

"Then  it  follows  as  a  necessary  sequence  that  the  form  is 
no  more  necessary  to  one  ordinance  than  to  the  other ;  both 
may  be  observed  perfectly  in  the  letter,  and  instead  of  being 
recognized  and  accepted  of  God,  will  but  sharpen  his  anger 
against  the  sacrilegious,  daring  intruder  into  the  presence  of  a 


128  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

God  who  is  a  Spirit,  and  who  seeketh  such  to  worship  him,  as 
worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  The  two  ordinances  in 
design  are  perfectly  parallel." 

"  But  a  certain  form  is  necessary  in  the  ordinance  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,"  said  Brother  Burton :  "  bread  must  be  broken 
and  wine  must  be  poured  out,  and  we  must  appropriate  some 
of  each  element,  or  otherwise  we  do  not  commemorate  our 
Lord's  death  and  sufferings,  and  the  ordinance  is  not  admin- 
istered." 

"  Exactly,"  replied  Halley ;  "  bread  must  be  broken  and  wine 
must  be  poured  out,  but  the  quality  or  quantity  of  the  bread  and 
wine,  or  the  manner  of  breaking  and  pouring  out,  or  the  man- 
ner of  appropriating  them  to  ourselves  after  being  broken  and 
poured  out,  are  all  considerations  not  essential  to  the  ordinance. 
So  also  in  baptism,  certain  things  are  essential :  water  must  be 
used  and  applied  to  us  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost,  or  else  we  are  not  baptized ;  but,  as  in  the  ordi- 
nance of  the  Lord's  Supper,  the  quality  or  quantity  of  the 
water  used,  or  the  manner  of  applying  it,  are  not  essential  to 
the  ordinance. 

"  Now  /will  take  a  position,  and  you  may  direct  your  bat- 
teries against  it  as  much  as  you  please,  it  will  only  reveal  more 
clearly  its  foundation  on  God's  immutable  truth ;  and  thus 
founded,  the  combined  artillery  of  earth  cannot  shake  it.  The 
position  is,  that  the  essence  of  all  God's  commands  is  spiritual, 
and  necessarily  implies  a  spiritual  obedience,  without  any  regard 
to  the  letter  or  outward  act,  only  so  far  as  comprehended  in, 
and  necessary,  to  the  spirit :  and  that  the  design  of  all  God's 
ordinances  is  a  spiritual  effect :  if  they  fail  of  this,  they  become 
to  us  a  dead  letter,  or  worse  still,  a  condemnation  to  our  souls. 
Material  things  are  used  or  comprehended  only  as  a  necessary 
vehicle  of  action,  or  to  make  a  deeper  impression  upon  our 
minds.  If  I  were  in  search  of  a  church  of  Christ,  I  would 
not  so  much  look  after  forms  and  genealogies,  as  after  the  spirit 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  129 

of  the  Gospel  as  exhibited  in  the  characters  and  lives  of  its 
members.  If  our  Savior  had  considered  forms  of  much  value, 
he  could  not  have  found  at  his  coming  wherewith  to  blame  the 
Jewish  church,  for  they  were  exceedingly  punctilious  as  to 
forms,  although  spiritually  dead  ;  and  of  this  he  reproves  them 
even  unto  bitterness.  '  Wo !  unto  you,  Scribes,  Pharisees, 
hypocrites !  for  ye  are  like  unto  whited  sepulchres,  which 
indeed  appear  outwardly  beautiful,  but  within  are  full  of  dead 
men's  bones  and  all  uncleanness.  Even  so  ye  also  appear  out- 
wardly righteous  unto  men,  but  within  ye  are  full  of  hypocrisy 
and  iniquity.'  This  is  the  tendency  of  all  undue  attachment 
to  forms ;  and  there  is  by  no  means  so  much  excuse  for  this  at- 
tachment under  the  Gospel  dispensation  as  under  the  old.  Tbe 
Old  Testament  worship  was  necessarily  of  many  precise  forms, 
so  as  to  preserve  a  distinct  nation  in  the  midst  of  paganism  and 
idolatry ;  but  it  was  not  intended  that  the  Jews  should  attach 
much  importance  to  this  precision,  for  'To  obey  is  better  than 
sacrifice'  (1  Sam.  xv.  22).  '  0  Lord,  thou  desirest  not  sacrifice, 
else  would  I  give  it,  thou  delightest  not  in  burnt-offerings. 
The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit,  a  broken  and  a  con- 
trite heart,  0  God,  thou  wilt  not  despise'  (Ps.  li.  16-17.)  '  To 
what  purpose  is  the  multitude  of  your  sacrifices  unto  me  ?  saith 
the  Lord;  I  am  full  of  the  burnt-offerings  of  rams,  and  the  fat 
of  fed  beasts ;  and  I  delight  not  in  the  blood  of  bullocks,  or  of 
lambs,  or  of  he-goats.  When  ye  come  to  appear  before  me, 
who  hath  required  this  at  your  hand,  to  tread  my  courts? 
Bring  no  more  vain  oblations ;  incense  is  an  abomination  unto 
me ;  the  new  moons  and  Sabbaths,  the  calling  of  assemblies,  I 
cannot  away  with ;  it  is  iniquity,  even  the  solemn  meeting. 
Your  new  moons  and  your  appointed  feasts  my  soul  hateth; 
they  are  a  trouble  unto  me;  I  am  weary  to  bear  them.  And 
when  ye  spread  forth  your  hands,  I  will  hide  mine  eyes  from 
you;  yea,  when  ye  make  many  prayers,  I  will  not  hear;  your 
hands  are  full  of  blood.     Wash  you,  make  you  clean ;  put  away 

I 


130  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before  mine  eyes ;  cease  to  do  evil ; 
learn  to  do  well;  seek  judgment,  relieve  the  oppressed,  judge 
the  fatherless,  plead  for  the  widow'  (Isa.  i.  11-17). 

"  To  rebuke  this  tendency  to  formalism,  was  the  burden  of 
all  the  prophets,  and  the  burden  of  the  teachings  of  Christ. 
The  Scribe  said  unto  Jesus,  '  Well  Master  thou  hast  said  the 
truth,  for  there  is  one  God ;  and  to  love  him  with  all  the  heart, 
and  with  all  the  understanding,  and  with  all  the  soul,  and  with 
all  the  strength,  and  to  love  his  neighbor  as  himself,  is  more 
than  all  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices.  And  when  Jesus  saw 
that  he  answered  discreetly,  he  said  unto  him,  Thou  art  not  far 
from  the  kingdom  of  God'  (Mark  xii.  32-34).  'It  is  the 
Spirit  that  quickeneth,  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing'  (John  vi. 
63).  Thus  we  might  heap  up  text  upon  text  almost  beyond 
computation,  but  let  this  suffice. 

After  the  apostolic  age  the  church  began  to  relapse  again, 
and  to  give  undue  heed  to  forms  and  ceremonies,  and  to  adopt 
wrong  principles  of  interpretation  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures ;  as 
for  instance,  the  allegorical  and  traditional.  And  the  causes 
that  brought  about  a  change  in  the  mode  of  baptism,  were  pro- 
bably not  only  the  early  tendency  of  the  church  to  formalism, 
and  to  adhere  strictly  to  the  letter,  but  also  oriental  usages  and 
the  habits  of  warmer  regions ;  a  false  interpretation  of  Romans 
vi.  3—5,  and  Col.  ii.  12 ;  and  a  very  early  habit  of  ascribing 
2>cculiar  virtue  to  external  forms.  The  habits  of  oriental 
nations  inhabiting  a  warm  climate  are  a  sufficient  cause  to  in- 
troduce the  change  of  the  mode  of  baptism  from  sprinkling  or 
pouring  to  immersion,  on  favorable  occasions;  and  the  others 
are  fully  sufficient  at  such  a  time  to  extend,  perpetuate,  and 
confirm  it.  '  This  attachment  to  forms,'  says  a  learned  divine, 
'  throng-s  every  page  of  the  early  history  of  the  church,  of 
which  the  rite  of  baptism  alone  would  furnish  volumes  of  proof. 
Let  the  holy  water  —  the  baptismal  chrism  to  symbolize  and 
htstoxo  the  Holy  Spirit  —  the  putting  on  of  white  robes  after 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       131 

baptism  to  symbolize  the  putting  on  of  Christ — the  baptism  of 
men  and  women  perfectly  naked  to  denote  their  entire  moral 
nakedness  before  putting  on  Christ  —  the  anointing  the  eyes 
and  ears  to  denote  the  sanctification  of  the  senses  —  the  eating 
of  honey  and  milk — the  sign  of  the  cross — and  finally,  let  bap- 
tismal regeneration,  the  sum  and  completion  of  all  these  formal 
tendencies,  bear  witness  to  the  mournful  truth.'  Thus  the 
world  in  a  few  centuries  was  benighted,  and  all  truth  obscured 
in  the  Dark  Ages — the  midnight  of  Papal  gloom — and  as  God 
made  no  new  revelations  to  man,  in  this  chaotic  mass  of  good 
and  evil,  truth  must  be  sought  after.  And  it  has  been  through 
the  investigations  and  researches  of  many  minds,  that  the  out- 
lines of  the  great  system  of  universal  truth  have  been  grasped, 
but  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  mingled  with  error.  Hence, 
viewing  the  system  of  truth  in  different  lights,  all  could  not 
unite  to  any  great  extent  in  one  body,  and  thereby  different 
sects  arose.  But  when  all  truth  is  seen,  which  may  be  seen,  even 
on  these  much-controverted  subjects,  then  all  true  Christians 
will  so  far  agree,  that  no  obstacle  will  remain  to  their  perfect 
union  in  feeling  and  action." 

"  May  God  speed  that  happy  time  !  that  glorious  day  ! "  ex- 
claimed Anna,  forgetting  everything  else  in  the  enthusiasm  of 
the  moment. 

"  I  have  shown,  I  think,  conclusively,"  said  Halley,  in  con- 
tinuation, "that  even  if  immersion,  and  immersion  only,  was 
practised  by  John  and  the  Apostles,  that  there  would  be  no 
reason  why  we  should  adopt  that  particular  mode  —  that  the 
doctrine  of  immersion  would  be  wholly  inconsistent  by  living 
up  to  the  letter  in  this  single  instance,  whereas  in  all  others  we 
only  give  heed  to  the  spirit  —  that  there  is  no  reason  why  we 
should  obey  the  letter  in  this  command,  and  refuse  to  obey  the 
letter  in  all  other  commands,  or  vice  versa,  that  there  is  no 
reason  in  our  simply  giving  heed  to  the  spirit  of  other  com- 
mands, and  giving  heed  to  the  letter  only  in  this  one  instance ; 


132  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

and  that  the  carrying  out  the  principles  on  which  literal  inter- 
pretation is  based,  would  make  our  religion  more  ceremonial 
than  the  Jewish,  and  more  lifeless  and  spiritless  than  that  of 
the  Romanist. 

"  Paul  says,  '  God  has  made  us  able  ministers  of  the  Xew 
Testament,  not  of  the  letter,  but  of  the  spirit,  for  the  letter 
killeth,  but  the  spirit  giveth  life'  (see  2  Cor.  iii.  6).  But  the 
truth  is,  j3arfri£<o  was  used  only  to  denote  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tism, with  no  reference  whatever  to  the  mode.  Baptism  is  sym- 
bolic —  an  emblem  of  the  purifying  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  —  and  the  grand  and  leading  symbol  of  purification  in- 
stituted by  Jehovah  himself  is  sprinkling.  Immersion  is  no- 
where foretold  by  the  prophets,  but  sprinkling  is,  and  that  too 
as  connected  with  the  new  dispensation.  And  the  rational  and 
proper  rendering  of  the  Greek  text  in  view  of  this  gives  us  no 
intimation  whatever  that  immersion  was  practised  by  the  Apos- 
tles and  the  apostolic  church.  The  practice  of  immersion  was 
introduced  and  persisted  in,  only  from  an  undue  and  super- 
stitious regard  to  forms  and  ceremonies;  and  those  too,  that 
would  outrage  every  law  of  decency,  and  should  put  to  shame  all 
civilized  and  Christian  society;  therefore  these  have  been  relin- 
quished in  more  modern  times,  but  immersion  retained.  Sprink- 
ling is  more  simple,  more  in  accordance  with  the  whole  spirit 
of  the  New  Testament,  more  Christlike;  and  an  ordinance  that 
can  be  used  in  all  places,  under  all  circumstances,  and,  like  the 
Bible,  is  adapted  to  all  phases  of  society,  conditions  of  life,  and 
nations  of  the  earth.  Is  not  the  testimony  then  all-convincing, 
all-powerful  and  overwhelming  in  favor  of  sprinkling  ?  Is  it 
not  wholly  satisfactory  ?  Ay,  more  !  Whilst  I  admit  that  bap- 
tism may  he  administered  by  other  forms,  as  the  word  used 
limits  to  no  form  in  its  Christian  use;  yet  I  claim  that  sprink- 
ling is  the  Bible  mode,  and  has  all  the  preferences  of  being  a 
farm  instituted  by  Jehovah  himself;  and  in  all  probability  as 
we  have  seen,  adopted  by  John  the  Baptist,  submitted  to  by 


THE     I  X  Q  V  I  R  E  R     AFTER     TRUTH.  133 

our  blessed  Savior,  and  practised  by  the  Apostles  and  the  pri- 
mitive church." 

Halley  paused.  His  sentences  bad  rolled  out  as  irresistibly 
as  a  tide  of  glowing  lava  from  a  crater's  mouth  livid  with  co- 
ruscations. Every  one  of  his  listeners  sat  as  though  chained 
to  his  seat  —  chained  by  that  irresistible  something,  that  is 
known  by  as  many  names  as  there  are  phases  of  society  and 
conditions  of  life,  in  which  controlling  minds  can  exercise 
power. 

"  I  am  thinking,"  said  Anna,  "  what  possible  excuse  there 
is  left  for  any  one  denomination  to  claim  to  be  the  only  true 
church,  the  only  gospel  church,  etc.,  because  they  differ  in  some 
of  their  forms  from  their  brethren,  whereas  they  all  unite  in 
the  Spirit.  How  must  God  regard  such  a  pretence  among  the 
members  of  his  household  !  "Would  it  be  called  uncharitable, 
or  by  a  worse  name  ? " 

"  The  Greek  church,"  said  Halley,  "  claims  the  most  direct 
and  uninterrupted  descent  from  the  apostolic  church,  and  hug- 
ging her  idols  to  her  bosom,  she  looks  askance  at  her  neigh- 
bors as  apostates  and  heretics  !  Her  sister  of  Rome  bows  the 
knee  to  a  visible  head,  obeying  his  mandates  as  the  mandates 
of  God;  and  claiming  with  her  infallibility  to  be  the  only  true 
church,  she  hurls  her  anathemas  at  all  other  pretenders!  Far- 
ther east  hangs  the  now  declining  star  of  Mahomet,  '  There  is 
no  God  but  God,  and  Mahomet  is  his  prophet.'  Being  an 
elder  brother,  in  power,  of  Jesus  Christ,  though  appearing 
among  men  more  recently,  and  being  only  inferior  to  God  him- 
self, those,  and  those  only  who  follow  his  teachings,  can  enter 
the  paradise  of  the  blessed.  There  is  no  church  hut  the  church 
of  Mahomet ! 

"  On  the  western  boundaries  of  our  own  country,  there  has  re- 
cently appeared  a  rival  star,  leading  a  rival  church,  with  rival 
claims  to  the  one  churehism !     And  I  regret  to  add  that  in  the 
very  bosom  of  Protestantism  there  is  another  sect  ambitious 
12 


134  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

to  contest  the  field  of  exclusiveness ;  cherishing  in  her  bosom, 
feelings  kindred  to  those  above  named ;  and  claiming  that  there 
is  no  church  hut  the  Baptist  church  !  Lo  !  v;e  are  the  true  uody 
of  Christ,  and  all  others  are  deceivers!" 


CHAPTER  VII. 


1  Many  a  green  isle  needs  must  be 
In  the  deep  wide  sea  of  misery, 
Or  the  mariner,  'worn  and  wan, 
Never  thus  could  voyage  on 
Day  and  night,  and  night  and  day, 
Drifting  on  his  dreary  way, 
With  the  solid  darkness  black 
Closinsr  round  his  vessel's  track." 


"Anna  Clayton!"  A  side  door  opened  and  the  mother 
looking  sharply  around,  called  again,  "Anna  Clayton  I"  Anna, 
who  was  out  upon  the  porch  leaning  her  forehead  thoughtfully 
against  the  lattice-work  with  her  eyes  fixed  upon  the  swaying 
grain  over  which  a  light  wind  left  a  track  of  shadows,  was 
thinking  anxious  thoughts;  but  her  mind  was  not  where  her 
eyes  had  been  long  resting  ;  no,  the  fartherest  possible  from  the 
peaceful  scene  around  her.  The  quiet  fields  and  whispering 
summer  air  had  nothing  in  common  with  the  restless  surging 
of  her  thoughts  over  the  trackless  deep  of  the  unknown  future 
around  which  even  now  shadows  seemed  gathering.  She  started 
at  the  call,  like  one  awakening  from  a  dream,  and  following  the 
direction  of  the  voice,  entered  a  private  apartment  where  her 
Mother  Clayton  awaited  her. 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       135 

"Anna,  I  want  to  warn  you  about  this  young  Halley,"  said 
the  mother,  sharply.  "  In  my  opinion  he's  a  suspicious  charac- 
ter !  I  wish  you  would'nt  place  so  much  dependence  on  what 
he  sa3*s,  for  I  do'nt  believe  a  word  of  it !  Only  just  think,,  how 
he  contradicts  Brother  Burton,  and  Brother  Longwind,  and 
even  your  father  too,  Anna !  I  should'nt  suppose  you  could 
countenance  him  at  all,  the  impudent  fellow ! " 

"  But,  mother,"  said  Anna,  with  a  tremulous  voice,  "  there 
is  of  necessity  a  contradiction,  or  no  argument;  and  does  he 
not  prove  his  positions  ?  " 

"  Prove  his  positions  ?  I  do'nt  believe  a  word  he  says  !  And 
I  do'nt  want  to  hear  a  word  like  that  from  your  lips  either,  and 
what's  more,  I  won't  hear  it,  so  let  that  settle  the  matter!" 
Mother  Clayton  was  angrily  leaving  the  room,  when,  recollect- 
ing herself,  she  said,  u  O,  I  thought  I  would  tell  you  that  Maria 
Sherwood,  Peter  Sims,  and  Mary  Stocher,  are  going  to  tell  their 
experience  at  the  covenant  meeting  Saturday,  and  be  baptized 
Sunday ;  so,  if  you  want  company,  then  is  your  time  to  go  on." 

'But,  mother — "  said  Anna. 

"  I  do'nt  want  to  hear  a  word  of  excuse  :  if  you  ever  intend 
to  be  baptized,  then  is  the  best  time  you'll  have.  Brother 
Burton  is  the  best  hand  at  it,  and  does  it  the  prettiest  of  any- 
body ever  I  see.    Shall  I  tell  your  father  that  you'll  be  ready  ?  " 

"  0  mother,  do  not  urge  me  !     I  cannot  —  I  cannot  now  !  " 

"  Cannot  now  !  0  yes,  it  is  wait,  wait !  we've  already  waited 
over  one  covenant  meeting  —  I  do'nt  believe  you  ever  mean  to 
do  it ;  I've  no  confidence  in  such  religion  at  all !  Xow  I  give 
you  timely  warning,  if  you  do'nt  do  it,  you  need'nt  expect  many 
more  favors  from  me,  or  your  father  either ! " 

"Do'nt  what,  mother?"  asked  Anna,  almost  wholly  bewil- 
dered by  the  violence  of  the  vituperation. 

"  Why,  if  you  do'nt  join  the  Church,  and  live  like  a  con- 
sistent Christian,  we  can't  countenance  you,  that's  all !  Xow 
you've  had  your  warning,  and  you  can  choose  your  own  path ! " 


136  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

Thus  saying  she  slammed  the  door  after  her,  as  was  her  wont 
when  giving  notice  to  all  in  the  house  of  the  ruffled  state  of  her 
temper,  and  left  the  terrified  and  sobbing  Anna  alone.  Alone ! 
ay,  if  the  earth  at  that  moment  had  opened  her  mouth  and 
swallowed  her  up  in  her  gloomy  caverns,  she  could  not  have 
felt  more  helplessly,  or  more  hopelessly  alone. 

"  0,  my  Father  and  my  God,  what  shall  I  do  ?  "  she  exclaimed, 
raising  her  eyes  suffused  with  tears,  and  her  clasped  hands 
toward  heaven.  "  You  have  had  your  warning  now,  choose 
your  own  path,"  echoed  and  re-echoed  again  and  again  through 
her  throbbing  brain.  ''Choose  —  choose!"  0,  if  I  dared  to 
come  before  God  with  a  lie  in  my  mouth,  she  thought,  professing 
to  believe  what  I  do  not  believe,  then  I  might  choose,  but  I 
cannot  —  I  dare  not !  "  Whether  ye  ought  to  serve  God  rather 
than  man,  judge  ye,"  whispered,  already  come  in  answer  to  her 
earnest  call  and  prayer  to  God,  a  sweet  Spirit  voice.  "  Choose 
ye  this  day  whom  ye  will  serve :  if  God,  then  serve  him,  and 
fear  not :  if  parents,  then  serve  them — choose — but  0,  choose 
wisely  ! "  The  Spirit  ceased  its  promptings,  and  fixed  its  earnest 
gaze  upon  her  deeply  troubled  soul,  waiting  a  response,  that  it 
might  carry  back  to  the  Eternal  Throne  the  joyful  news  that 
there  was  another  mortal  who  could  leave  all  for  God. 

Anna  sunk  upon  her  knees,  and  burying  her  face  in  her 
hands,  exclaimed,  "  0  blessed  Jesus,  thou  hast  died  for  me  — 
hast  endured  shame,  reproach,  pain,  and  even  death  for  me,  and 
shall  I  refuse  to  endure  this  light  affliction  for  thy  name's  glory? 
No,  welcome  shame,  welcome  reproach,  welcome  poverty,  if  I 
meet  them  in  the  path  of  duty,  obeying  thee !  0  guide  me  by 
thy  Spirit  into  truth,  and  help  me  to  follow  its  dictates  wherever 
it  may  lead  me.  litre  am  I.  O  God,  sustain  me  in  this  hour! 
Jesus,  help  me  to  follow  the  promptings  of  thy  Spirit  through 
life  and  even  unto  death,  and  thy  name  be  blessed  evermore." 

The  struggle  was  ended,  and  a  calm,  almost  like  a  joy,  fell 
upon  her  soul.     "  I  will  be  true  to  my  own  convictions  of  duty, 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTII.  137 

come  what  may ! "  she  exclaimed,  rising  from  her  knees  and 
throwing  wide  the  window  that  opened  on  the  porch ;  stepping 
out,  she  was  soon  lost  among  the  overhanging  trees  along  the 
brook-side  that  shaded  the  path  to  the  widow's  cottage. 

On  a  rude  bench  in  the  garden  within  the  grateful  shade  of 
two  huge  oaks  —  giants  of  past  centuries  —  sat  our  clerical 
friends. 

"  I  could  tell  you  very  quick  what  I  should  do  in  this  case," 
said  Brother  Burton,  speaking  more  freely  now  than  he  did 
in  the  late  controversy.  "  There  is  no  reason  in  letting  things 
go  their  own  way  —  not  the  least.  You  say  the  girl  has  con- 
siderable influence  over  her  young  associates,  and  there's  no 
telling  where  the  mischief  may  end,  possibly  in  the  tearing  up 
of  the  Church  —  at  all  events  you've  got  now  a  clear  field,  and 
I'de  keep  it.  I  would  let  her  know  that  my  will  was  lav:,  and 
she  must  obey  or  suffer  the  consequences." 

"  I  know  I  have  a  clear  field  now,  but  it  an't  to  be  expected 
that  I  can  keep  it,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  thoughtfully.  "  Moses 
Wise  has  recently  moved  into  town — he  is  a  Presbyterian,  and 
has  a  son  who  is  a  minister.  He  is  at  home  now  on  a  visit,  and 
has  given  out  an  appointment  at  the  Academy  rooms  for  four 
o'clock  next  Sabbath  afternoon.  So  you  see  they  are  creeping 
in  around  us,  and  we  shall  be  obliged  to  make  room  for  them 
whether  we  will  or  no." 

"  But  the  disgrace  of  having  a  member  of  your  own  family 
adopt  such  a  creed,"  urged  Brother  Burton.  "  It  certainly  will 
have  a  most  disastrous  effect  upon  the  Baptist  cause." 

"I  do'nt  know  —  really  I  do'nt  know,"  responded  the  Elder, 
measuredly  and  musingly.  "  Halley  certainly  made  it  look 
rather  reasonable — the  sprinkling,  I  mean — really  I  do'nt  know 
what  to  think  about  the  matter  myself — I  never  could  see  these 
things  clearly  in  my  own  mind." 

"  I  wonder,"  returned  Brother  Burton,  with  a  sarcastic  curl 
of  the  lip,  "  if  you  an't  about  turning  sprinkler  too !  you  had 
12  * 


138  A  N  N  A     CLAYTON;     OR, 

better  renounce  your  faith  publicly  next  Sabbath,  and  go  to  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Wise  to  be  sprinkled  !" 

"  0,  no,  no,  no,  I  have'nt  any  such  idea  as  that,  but  the 
fellowship  I  was  thinking  about — they  like  their  way,  and  why 
have'nt  they  as  good  a  right  to  it  as  we  to  ours  ?  There  is  room 
enough  in  the  world  for  us  all  to  work  in ;  then  why  not  give 
them  a  God  speed  instead  of  a  nudge  ?  That's  what  I  was 
thinking  about." 

"  An't  it  of  any  consequence,"  asked  Brother  Burton,  start- 
ing to  his  feet,  and  pacing  up  and  down  the  gravel-walk  under- 
neath the  trees.  "An't  it  of  an}*  consequence  that  truth  should 
triumph  over  error  ?  Should  we  keep  silence  and  see  an  insti- 
tution (I  can't  call  it  a  church)  gaining  ground  even  on  our 
own  territory,  that  has  in  it,  and  as  one  of  its  distinguishing 
features,  such  an  act  of  high-handed  rebellion  against  God,  as 
the  sprinkling  —  I  will  not  call  it  baptism  —  of  little  infants? 
They  can  neither  repent  nor  exercise  faith,  and  consequently 
have  no  right  to  the  ordinance  !  It  is  impious !  It  is  a  high- 
handed act  of  sacrilege  !" 

"  Yes,"  said  Father  Longwind,  "  that  is  the  leprous  spot.  If 
they  would  confine  their  sprinkling  to  adults,  on  confession  of 
their  faith,  we  would'nt  so  much  mind  it ;  but  tlii>  giving  it  to 
babies  —  bah!  If  baptism  converted  these  little  thoughtless, 
senseless  things,  then  there  might  be  some  sense  in  it.  But  the 
baptized  children  of  these  sprinklers  grow  up  sinners  just  as 
though  they  had  never  been  baptized." 

"  The  long  and  short  of  it  is  this,"  said  Brother  Burton ;  "  it 
is  a  relic  of  Popery !  There's  not  a  single  command  in  the 
Bible  for  it  —  not  one  !  And,  Brother  Clayton,  if  you  go  on 
encouraging  these  things,  or  even  let  them  grow  up  around  you 
without  making  an  effort  to  pull  them  down,  you  may  expect 
before  long  to  see  a  '  little  infant  mewling  and  puking  in  its 
mother's  arms'  brought  up  before  the  altar  of  your  own  church, 
and  the  Rev.  Air.  Wise,  or  some  other  Rev.  Mr.,  sprinkle  it  there 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTII.  139 

before  the  eyes  of  your  own  congregation  !  Would'nt  that  be 
a  beautiful  sight  in  a  Baptist  community,  and  in  a  Baptist 
church !  Before  I  would  witness  such  a  sacrilege,  I  would  flee 
fm-ty  miles  into  a  wilderness!" 

This  had  the  desired  effect  on  the  easy,  kind-hearted  man, 
who  halted  between  affection  for  his  adopted  child  and  his  own 
inherent  sense  of  the  natural  rights  of  others  on  one  side,  and 
the  deeply-rooted  prejudices  of  education  instilled  into  his  very 
nature  through  a  long  succession  of  years  on  the  other.  Respect 
for  his  more  energetic  brother's  opinion  thrown  in  turned  the 
balance,  and  it  was  decided  that  an  effort  should  be  made  to 
pull  down  this  new  sect  likely  to  spring  up  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  as  the  first  step  to  be  taken,  Anna  was  to  be  brought  upon 
the  rack. 

"  I  had  rather  you  would  talk  with  her,  Brother  Burton," 
said  Elder  Clayton,  his  nature  still  recoiling  from  the,  to  him, 
unnatural  deed.  "  Try  to  persuade  her,"  he  added  with  a 
slight  tremor  in  his  voice,  "  it  is  hard,  it  is  a  severe  alternative 
to  turn  the  child  away,  for  I  promised  her  mother,  as  she 
breathed  her  last  breath,  that  she  should  be  as  near  to  me  as 
my  own  child.  But,  as  you  say,  I  can't  see  any  other  way  to 
put  down  this  rebellion  than  to  begin  at  home." 

"Were  she  your  own  child,  you  would  be  justified  in  doing 
it,"  replied  Brother  Burton.  "  But  you  need'nt  fear  it  will 
ever  come  to  that.  Young  folks  now-a-days  think  too  much  of 
their  bread  and  butter  to  risk  it  so  rashly.  You  may  depend 
upon  it  —  that  this  is  the  surest  and  best  possible  way  to  bring 
matters  around  satisfactorily.  You  may  expect  to  see  her  go 
into  the  water  next  Sabbath  with  the  rest  of  them.  Just  quote 
a  little  Scripture  to  her  for  effect,  and  then  come  right  down 
as  firmly  as  possible  with  your  terms,  and  never  flinch." 

"  I  had  rather  you  would  do  it,"  he  replied,  "  and  whatever 
you  do  I  will  abide  by,  only  do'nt  be  too  severe  with  the  poor 
child  —  she  has  never  known  severity." 


140  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

As  Anna  pursued  the  lonely  shaded  path  to  her  friend's 
cottage,  she  determined  to  tell  her  all  her  trials,  and  ask  her 
advice  as  to  the  course  proper  for  her  to  take  in  this  matter ; 
but  when  she  met  the  widow's  wan  face,  so  livid  with  patient 
woe,  and  saw  her  bend  with  such  sweet  resignation  over  the  still 
sinking  child,  which  now  claimed  her  almost  unremitting  care, 
and  had  become  so  emaciated,  deformed,  and  loathsome  with 
putrid  swellings ;  or  as  she  marked  the  melancholy  gaze  that 
fixed  itself  upon  the  distant  churchyard  where  the  white  tomb- 
stones were  peering  out  from  the  climbing  vines  and  overhang- 
ing shrubbery  and  trees  in  solemn  waiting  for  the  next  comer, 
with  a  look  that  said : 

"  The  dead  are  engulf  d  beneath  them, 
Sunk  in  the  grassy  waves; 
But  we  have  ruoi-e  dead  in  our  hearts  to-day, 
Thau  the  Earth  in  all  her  graves." 

"When  Anna  thus  beheld  the  deep  grief  and  anxious  care  of 
the  widow,  she  feared  that  it  might  add  to  the  burden  already 
pressing  out  her  life,  and  so  locked  her  own  troubles  in  her 
bosom.  Indeed,  for  the  time  she  almost  forgot  them  —  she 
thought  little  of  self  whilst  soothing  and  encouraging  her 
friend,  and  relieving  her  of  the  care  of  the  sick  child.  Singing 
was  his  favorite  diversion,  and  he  always  claimed  of  Anna  a 
song  or  a  story.  "  Sing  to  Charlie  of  that  Happy  Land,  far,  far 
away,"  he  said.  And  again  the  familiar  strains  of  that  thrilling 
little  song,  wafted  by  Anna's  sweet  voice,  soothed  a  suffering 
mortal  with  the  hope  of  coming  glory ;  and  the  story  of  Jesus 
when  he  took  little  children  in  his  arms  and  blessed  them,  was 
never  more  feelingly  told,  or  more  attentively  listened  to.  So 
the  hour  wore  away. 

"  You  must  try  and  bear  up  cheerfully,"  said  Anna,  when 
about  parting  with  them.  "  I  will  repeat  to  you,  the  lesson 
you  have  often  taught  to  mc;  God  is  good,  and  'lie  doeth  all 
things  well.'" 


THE    INQUIRER    APTER    TRUTH.  141 

u  Yes,  God  is  good,"  repeated  widow  Giles ;  "  God  is  good, 
even  when  he  presses  a  cup  of  sorrow  to  the  lips  of  his  chil- 
dren ;  he  mixes  with  it  such  drops  of  sweetness,  that  they  need 
never  repine.  Their  sorrows  wean  them  from  earth,  and  the 
sweetness  draws  them  toward  heaven.  Yes,  'tis  true  '  He  doeth 
all  things  well.'  Through  six  sorrows  hath  he  upheld  me,  and 
from  the  seventh  will  he  deliver  me,  blessed  be  the  name  of 
the  Lord." 

Anna  looked  into  the  widow's  face  which  for  the  moment  lit 
up,  like  as  a  dense  grey  cloud  when  dashed  with  the  golden 
hues  of  evening,  and  she  thought  that  truly  "  by  the  sorrow  of 
the  countenance,  the  heart  is  made  better ;"  and  if  it  is  God's 
will  that  I  should  drain  the  dregs  from  that  bitter  cup,  may  I 
improve  upon  them  as  wisely  as  this  poor  woman.  She  had 
endeavored  to  appear  cheerful,  even  light-hearted  and  hopeful, 
but  by  those  unknown  avenues  of  communication  of  mind  with 
mind,  her  friend  had  discovered  that  all  was  not  well. 

"  Anna,"  she  said,  laying  her  hand  upon  her  shoulder  to 
detain  her  as  she  turned  to  go,  "Anna,  there  has  trouble  fallen 
on  you.  I  would  to  God,  Anna,  that  I  could  shield  you  from 
it;  but  be  that  as  it  may,  remember  that  all  I  can  do  for  you 
will  be  done  most  willingly." 

Anna  turned,  and  looked  inquiringly  with  an  earnest  gaze 
into  the  face  of  the  widow,  and  the  words  even  trembled  on 
her  tongue,  but  still  she  restrained  them,  and  pressed  them 
down  again  into  her  own  heart. 

"  I  wish  your  pathway,  Anna,  might  be  one  of  flowers,"  she 
continued ;  "  but  He  who  knoweth  better  than  we,  hath  deter- 
mined that 

'  The  path  of  sorrow,  and  that  path  alone 
Leads  to  the  land  where  sorrow  is  unknown.' " 

Anna  pressed  her  lips  to  those  of  her  friend,  and  was  gone. 
Although  she  had  become  strengthened  and  comforted,  yet 
thought  had  quickened,  and  she  turned  down  the  road  as  it 


142  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

was  a  longer  way  home,  and  she  felt  that  she  needed  time  for 
self-communing  ere  she  again  faced  her  destiny. 

"Why,  Anna,  I'm  so  glad  you've  come  this  way,  I've  just 
been  over  to  see  you.  Let's  sit  down  under  this  tree,  for  I 
want  to  talk  with  you."  The  speaker  was  Mary  Stoeher,  one 
of  Anna's  most  intimate  friends  among  her  young  associates. 
"  I  want  to  know  what  dress  you  are  going  to  wear  Sunday," 
she  continued ;  "  and  won't  there  have  to  be  another  robe  made? 
there  are  only  two  now."  Mary  paused,  and  noticing  the 
troubled  and  perplexed  look  in  Anna's  face,  added  by  way  of 
explanation,  "  Your  mother  told  me  that  you  were  going  on 
with  us  next  Sabbath  ? " 

Still  Anna  hesitated,  and  cast  her  eyes  on  the  ground. 

"  Why  what  makes  you  look  so,  Anna?  What  have  I  said 
to  hurt  your  feelings  ? " 

"  Mary,  did  mother  tell  you  that  I  would  be  baptized  next 
Sabbath?" 

"  Yes ;  she  said,  she  expected  you  would.  But  what  is  the 
matter,  Anna?" 

"  Nothing,  Mary ;  only  I've  no  such  intentions,  that's  all ! " 

"  What !  don't  you  ever  intend  to  join  a  church  ?  Can  it  be 
true  what  I  heard  the  other  day  ? " 

"  What  did  you  hear  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  like  to  tell  you,  Anna,  for  I  did  not  believe  a  word 
of  it.  I  went  over  to  see  you,  to-day,  to  make  sure  it  was  false ; 
but  what  am  I  to  think  now?" 

"  You  are  to  think,  Mary,  just  what  I've  told  you,  that  I 
have  no  intention  of  being  immersed  next  Sabbath  —  nothing 
more — nothing  less." 

Mary's  eyes  filled  with  tears,  and  she  looked  mournfully, 
almost  reproachfully,  at  her  friend. 

"  It  is  my  turn  now  to  ask  for  an  explanation,"  said  Anna. 
"  Is  it  to  be  considered  a  crime,  if  I  should  prefer  to  wait  a 
season;  or  if  I  should  even  become  honestly  convinced  that 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  143 

some  other  way  would  better  harmonize  with  my  idea  of  the 
word  of  God  ?  As  I  am  to  understand  it  for  myself,  must  I 
not  be  governed  by  my  understanding  of  it  ?  Now  tell  me 
plainly,  what  it  is  you  have  heard,  and  perhaps  you  will  find 
that  you  are  laboring  under  a  mistaken  idea  of  my  motives." 

"  I  may  as  well  tell  you  first  as  last,  but  don't  think  I  ever 
believed  it,  for  I  never  did.  Aunt  Katy  told  mother  that  you 
was  becoming  perfectly  reckless,  did'nt  seem  to  have  any  regard 
for  sacred  things  at  all,  and  that  Halley " 

"What  of  him?"  interrupted  Anna. 

"  That  his  influence  was  none  of  the  best,  and  'twas  feared 
he  might  be  your  ruin." 

"Who  told  aunt  Katy?" 

"  I  believe  she  claimed  it  came  directly  from  your  mother ; 
but  your  mother  told  me  to-day,  it  had  come  out  all  right ; 
Elder  Burton  had  been  there  and  upset  Halley's  Catholic  creed 
—  hoed  him  out  completely — and  so  she  thought  you  would  be 
ready  to  go  on  with  us  in  baptism,  and  be  an  exemplary 
Christian." 

Anna  was  morbidly  sensitive  regarding  her  character  and 
the  purity  of  her  motives.  To  be  regarded  unprincipled  and 
reckless,  was  to  her  the  most  serious  of  charges,  and  in  the 
purity  of  her  own  soul  she  had  never  dreamed  it  possible  that 
her  motives  could  be  thus  construed. 

"Catholic  creed  !"  she  repeated.  "Mary,  if  to  believe  that 
the  ordinance  of  baptism  can  be  administered  by  sprinkling,  is 
to  be  a  Catholic  —  then  Mr.  Halley's  creed  is  Catholic,  and  so 
is  mine." 

"  Why,  is  that  all  ?  I  supposed  he  had  all  sorts  of  outland- 
ish notions.  My  mother  was  a  Methodist  when  she  joined  this 
church,  and  she  says,  she  don't  believe  immersion  is  the  only 
form  of  baptism  —  but  father  does.  0,  Anna,  you  ought  to 
read  this  book.  I  was  reading  it  when  you  came  along.  I'm 
sure  it  is  made  out  here,  as  plain  as  plain  can  be,  that  baptism 


144  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

is  nothing  else  but  an  immersion  of  the  whole  body  in  water. 
Father  Longwind  left  it  here,  but  you  may  take  it  home  with 
you.  Read  it,  do  Anna,  it  would  be  such  a  comfort  to  us  all, 
if  you  could  go  with  us  next  Sabbath." 

"  I  have  read  the  book,"  Anna  replied. 

"  Have  read  it  ?  Why,  Anna,  is  it  possible  you  could  read 
this  book,  and  not  be  convinced  ?  It  seems  to  me  that  I  should 
have  been  just  like  Theodosia  on  the  82d  page  here,  'When 
she  went  to  her  chamber  and  took  her  Testament,  and  read 
how  they  were  baptized  in  the  river  Jordan.  How  Jesus  after 
he  was  baptized  came  up  out  of  the  water.  How  they  went 
down  both  into  the  water,  both  Philip  and  the  Eunuch,  and  he 
baptized  him ;  and  when  he  came  up  out  of  the  water,  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  caught  away  Philip.'  She  compared  these  state- 
ments with  what  she  had  seen  at  the  river,  and  did  not  need 
any  testimony  from  the  Lexicons  to  satisfy  her  that  John's  bap- 
tism and  Philip's  baptism  was  immersion.  Why  else  did  they 
go  into  the  water  ?  Why  else  was  it  done  in  the  river  ?  Now, 
Anna,  you  know  that's  the  way  it  reads  in  the  Bible,  and  what 
more  testimony  docs  it  need '! " 

"  Do  you  believe  this,  Mary  ? " 

"  Certainly  —  how  can  I  believe  otherwise  ?" 

"  I  do  not  desire  to  have  you.  I  would  not  shake  your  faith 
for  all  the  world,  if  you  are  settled  in  it  and  satisfied." 

"  But,  Anna,  I  have  a  great  curiosity  to  know  how  you  would 
get  around  such  evidence  as  this  ?  I  can't  see  any  possible 
way ;  but  I  know  you  could  always  see  right  through  a  problem, 
when  we  went  to  school  together,  that  was  a  perfect  puzzle  to 
me." 

"Well  then,  I  will  answer  your  question.  What  you  deem 
so  satisfactory  is,  because  it  reads  in  Jordan,  into  and  up  out  of 
the  water.  Now  you  know  that  the  New  Testament  was  not 
originally  written  in  the  English  language?" 

"  Why,  no,  it  was  written  in  Greek ;  this  book  tells  all  about  it." 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       145 

"And,  Mary,  the  words  here  translated  in  and  into,  are  in 

Greek  iv  and  iu?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Mary. 

"  Now  suppose  you  should  take  up  Walker's  Dictionary,  and 
turn  to  the  word  '  cry.'  You  will  find  it  to  mean  lamenting, 
shriek,  scream,  weeping,  mourning,  clamor,  outcry,  exclamation 
of  triumph  or  wonder,  proclamation,  acclamation,  popular 
favor,  voice,  utterance,  names  of  vocal  expression,  importunate 
calf,  yelping  of  clogs,  yell,  inarticulate  noise,  etc.  Now  how 
would  you  go  to  work  to  prove  that  the  word  'cry'  invariably 
means  weeping  or  mourning,  and  insist  upon  giving  it  that  sig- 
nificance wherever  you  meet  with  it?" 

"  Why,  I  would  not  be  so  silly  as  to  try,  that's  all  !" 

"  Very  well,  then,  you  take  up  a  Greek  Lexicon,  and  you 
will  find  that  those  two  Greek  words  have  as  great  a  variety  of 
significations,  as  Walker  gives  to  the  word  cry  ;  and  even  more, 
for  a  German  scholar  has  traced  out  twenty-six  different  mean- 
ings for  the  word  ii; ;  then  what  confidence  should  you  place 
in  the  assertion  that  they  must  mean  in  and  into?" 

"■  Why  really  I  don't  know ;  but  this  book  don't  talk  like 
that.  Here  it  says  on  page  88,  that  '  iv  means  in  in  Greek,  as 
much  as  in  does  in  English ;  aj  means  into  in  Greek,  as  much 
as  into  does  in  English.'  I  supposed  by  that  they  meant  in  and 
into,  and  nothing  else,  though  he  afterwards  says,  'that  some- 
times, very  rarely  ib  means  with  in  the  sense  of  an  instrument;' 
and  then  he  says,  'that  it  is  only  in  the  ratio  of  twenty-seven 
hundred  to  forty  that  it  has  any  other  meaning  than  in.'  I 
thought  that  was  not  a  chance  worth  speaking  about." 

"  Mary,  if  you  could  read  Greek  as  George  can,  you  could 
soon  satisfy  yourself  that  this  is  a  barefaced  assertion,  without 
the  shadow  of  truth  in  it !  In  is  only  one  of  the  many  meanings 
of  the  Greek  words  v.  Now  to  satisfy  myself  on  this  and  other 
matters,  I  prevailed  on  George  to  write  off  for  me  the  meaning 
of  these  two  words,  and  also  others;  and  some  passages  in 
13  K 


146  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

Greet,  too,  that  I  might  consult  them  at  my  leisure,  and  become 
acquainted  with  them ;  and  I  will  give  you  some  idea  of  their 
meaning  and  significance,  for  I  have  them  in  my  pocket  (taking 
a  little  neatly-kept  blank-book  from  her  pocket),  I  always  carry 
them,  and  like  to  study  them :  here  they  are.  According  to 
Donnegan  and  Pickering,  and  in  fact,  all  Greek  Lexicogra- 
phers, iv  means  at,  in,  on,  within,  v:ith,  among,  before,  hi/,  near, 
nigh  to,  during,  by  means  of,  while,  therein,  thereat,  thereby, 
with  respect  to,  etc.  etc.  And  into,  as  I  just  stated,  is  only  one 
of  the  twenty-six  different  significations  which  belong  to  hj  ! 
Then  how  is  it  to  be  proved  that  they  should  be,  and  must  be 
in  these  cases  rendered  in  and  into  ?  Certainly  not  by  the  im- 
port of  the  words  themselves.  They  must  find  other  testimony 
than  the  words  in  question  to  prove  it." 

"But  it  says  on  page  90,"  continued  Mary,  turning  over  the 
leaves,  "that  King  James  forbade  the  translators  rendering  it 
in,  and  for  that  reason  they  made  it  read,  '  I  baptize  you  icith 
water,  etc' " 

"  This  certainly  is  a  new  fact  for  historians  to  chronicle,  if  it 
be  true,"  said  Anna;  "but  most  probably  it  originated  in  the 
author's  wonderfully  fertile  brain.  But  you  might  ask  the  gen- 
tleman, if  he  was  here,  to  turn  to  Luke  iii.  16,  and  Acts  i.  5, 
and  xi.  16,  and  then  see  if  he  could  discover  no  better  reason 
for  its  being  rendered  thus,  than  the  prohibition  of  King 
James  ?  " 

"  Why,  what  reason  is  there  in  those  passages  for  it?"  asked 
Mary,  with  intense  interest. 

"  The  noun  water,"  replied  Anna,  consulting  her  pocket- 
manual,  "  vbu>p  (hi(dor),  is  used  in  these  places  in  the  dative 
form  vbati,  (liudati),  without  any  preposition  at  all,  and  is  thus 
used  only  as  a  means  or  instrument,  classical  scholars  inform  us, 
and  never  as  a  place  in  which  anything  is  said  to  be,  or  to  be 
done.  Hence  in  these  passages  it  must  be  rendered  with  water, 
i.  e..  water  considered  as  an  instrument.     And  in  the  other 


TIIE     INQUIRER    AFTER     TRUTH.  147 

places  where  the  preposition  iv  is  used  before  the  noun  i:5cop  (£» 
iSart),  it  may,  according  to  his  own  admission  on  page  89, 
'  mean  with  in  the  sense  of  an  instrument.'  Now,  Mary,  can 
you  see  no  reason  why  the  translators  rendered  it  with  water, 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  etc.?" 

"  Certainly,  if  it  must  be  rendered  thus,  that  is  a  sufficient 
reason ;  but  where  did  you  say  those  passages  were  ?  Let  me 
look  them  up  and  read  them  :  I  have  a  Bible  here.  Luke  iii. 
16,  John  answered,  saying  unto  them  all, '  I  indeed  baptize  you 
with  water ;  but  one  mightier  than  I  cometh,  the  latehet  of 
whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  unloose ;  he  shall  baptize  you 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  with  fire.'  You  say  that  there  is  no 
preposition  used  there  before  water  ?  " 

"  No,  there  is  none.  It  reads  in  the  original,  as  I  have  it 
written  here,  'Eyii  phv  v&ari  |3artrt£u  iudj  (ego  men  livdati bop- 
tlzo  humas),  'I  indeed  water  baptize  you;'  this  is  the  order  of 
the  words ;  water  being  used  in  the  dative  without  a  governing 
word  only  as  an  instrument;  and  therefore  it  must  be  rendered 
in  English, '  I  baptize  you  with  water.'  And  the  next  passage," 
continued  Anna,  taking  the  Bible,  "  is  in  Acts  i.  5,  the  words 
of  our  Savior :  '  For  John  truly  baptized  (with)  water,  but  ye 
shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost  not  many  days  hence/ 
And  the  other,  the  words  of  Peter,  is  in  Acts  xi.  16,  '  Then  re- 
membered I  the  words  of  the  Lord,  how  that  he  said,  John 
indeed  baptized  (with)  water ;  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with 
the  Holy  Ghost.'" 

"  That  really  has  some  force,"  said  Mary,  musingly. 
"  I  would  inquire  also,"  continued  Anna,  "  what  propriety 
there  would  be  in  rendering  passages,  '  I  baptize  you  in  the 
Holy  Ghost  ? '  For  in  every  instance  it  is  in  the  original  h 
jtveipargt  dyio  (en  pneumati  haffio\  Now,  Mary,  keeping  this 
in  mind,  let  us  examine  the  Scriptures  and  see  whether  they 
were  dipped  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  or  the  Holy  Ghost  applied  to 
them  in  the  sense  of  an  agent  or  means.     But,  Mary,  there  ia 


148  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

a  better  reason  still,  for  regarding  water  to  be  used  in  baptism 
as  an  instrument  or  means  only.  If  God's  word  did  not  fur- 
nish tbe  evidences  already  found,  still  it  would  be  most  satis- 
factory to  me  to  regard  tbe  baptismal  water  only  as  an  instru- 
ment for  administering  tbe  ordinance.  Now  can  you  tell  me 
what  the  meaning  of  the  ordinance  of  baptism  is?" 

"  Meaning  —  meaning  ?  "  said  Mary,  hesitatingly,  "  why  I 
read  somewhere  that  it  signifies  the  immersing  of  the  whole 
man  in  the  Spirit  of  a  new  life." 

"  That  sounds  very  much  like  a  Baptist  definition,"  responded 
Anna ;  "  but  we  will  look  at  it  in  that  form.  '  It  signifies '  — 
then  it  is  a  symbol,  and  it  signifies  the  immersion  of  the  whole 
man  in  the  spirit  of  a  new  life — or  in  other  words,  it  is  regene- 
ration.    Whose  operation  is  that  ?" 

"  Why  it  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit  —  the  Holy  Spirit  —  to 
regenerate  the  soul." 

"  You  are  sure  then,  Mary,  that  it  could  be  accomplished  in 
no  other  way,  only  by  the  agency  of  the  Spirit  ?  " 

"  Certainly;  who  ever  heard  or  read  of  any  other  way?" 

"  Then  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  refers  to  the  opera- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  heart  of  the  individual ;  or, 
in  other  words,  the  outward  rite  of  baptism  signifies  the  inward 
operation  of  the  Spirit.  Xow  what  is  this  inward  operation 
called  ?     What  did  John  call  it  ?  " 

"  Why,  a  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

"Then  it  follows  that  water  baptism  is  a  type  —  or  as  you 
expressed  it  —  water  baptism  signifies  Spirit  baptism.  This  is 
the  true  definition  of  the  term.  Xow  in  my  hat  here,  Mary, 
you  see  a  rose  —  is  it  a  natural  rose  ?  " 

"Why  no,  Anna,  I  should  call  it  an  imitation." 

"What  makes  you  think  so,  Mary?" 

"  Because  it  looks  just  like  a  natural  rose." 

"  Then  it  is  a  type  of  a  natural  rose,  and  you  know  it  to  be 
such  from  the  fact  that  it  looks  like  one,  i.  e.  it  is  like  a  rose  in 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER     TRUTH.  149 

form  and  color.  Now  the  reason  of  its  being  a  type,  is  because 
it  looks  like  a  natural  rose  —  now  keep  that  in  mind,  Mary. 
Now  let  me  ask  you  how  you  suppose  water  baptism  to  be  a 
type  of  the  Spirit  baptism  ?  " 

"How?  —  why  I  do'nt  know  —  I  never  thought  of  that 
before." 

"  Could  it  be  a  type  if  it  were  not  in  some  way  like  it  ?  If 
this  flower  was  in  form  and  color  a  lily,  would  it  be  a  type  of  a 
rose  ?  " 

••  No,  certainly  not,  x\.nna.  "Water  baptism  must  in  some  way 
be  like  Spirit  baptism." 

"  In  what  respect  should  you  say,  Mary  ?  " 

"  Why  in  immersing  the  whole  man  in  the  spirit  of  a  new 
life — I  guess.   That  I'm  sure  would  be  good  Baptist  orthodoxy." 

"  But  is  it  Bible  orthodoxy  ?  Does  the  Bible  call  the  effect 
produced  a  baptism  ?  Now  let  us  turn  and  see  whether  it  is 
the  effect  produced  or  the  act  of  receiving,  that  the  Bible  calls 
a  baptism.  Acts  i.  5,  Jesus  says  they  shall  be  baptized.  Acts 
ii.  3,  'And  there  appeared  cloven  tongues  like  as  of  fire  that 
sat  upon  each  of  them.'  Here  was  a  fulfilment  of  the  promise, 
yet  they  were  not  immersed,  neither  does  it  speak  of  any  effect 
produced  upon  their  hearts." 

"It  might  be  the  next  verse,"  said  Mary;  "'And  they  were 
all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  began  to  speak  with  other 
tongues  as  the  Spirit  gave  them  utterance.'  That  sounds  more 
Baptist  fashion." 

"  Being  filled  with,  is  not  being  immersed  in,  or  dipped  in," 
said  Anna.  "  But  let  us  examine  a  little  farther.  What  says 
Peter  ?  Turn  to  Acts  x.  44 :  '  While  Peter  yet  spake  these 
words,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all  them  that  heard  the  word.' 
This  corresponds,  you  see,  with  Acts  ii.  3 ;  he  makes  it  the  act 
of  rect  iving  the  Holy  Ghost,  not  the  effect  produced  by  him." 

"But  neither  of  them  is  directly  called  a  baptism,"  said 
Mary. 

13* 


150  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

"  An't  they  ?  "  replied  Anna.  "  Turn  to  the  next  chapter — 
to  Acts  xi.  15,  16,  'And  as  I  began  to  speak  the  Holy  Ghost 
fell  on  them  as  on  us  at  the  beginning.  Then  remembered  I 
the  word  of  the  Lord,  how  he  said,  John  truly  baptized  (with) 
water ;  but  ye  shall  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost/  Peter 
do'nt  tell  us  what  new  creatures  they  had  become,  nor  what 
wonderful  things  they  had  performed,  or  were  expected  there- 
after to  perform,  and  then  call  that  a  baptism ;  but  the  spirit 
fell  or  descended  upon  them  and  they  were  baptized.  "What 
they  might  be  led  to  do  afterwards  as  a  consequence  of  this  act 
called  baptism  —  was  a  result,  a  fruit  of  it." 

"  I  see  it  plainly  now,"  exclaimed  Mary.  "  I  wonder  I  never 
saw  it  before.    It  is  the  act,  not  the  effect,  most  unquestionably." 

"  Then  if  Spirit  baptism  is  the  act  of  receiving  the  Holy 
Spirit,  water  baptism  (as  every  one  admits)  is  the  act  of  re- 
ceiving the  baptismal  water.  Now  does  it  not  necessarily  follow 
that  one  act  must  be  like  the  other  act,  or  one  cannot  be  said 
to  be  the  type  or  shadow  of  the  other  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  that  is  just  as  plain  as  that  the  rose  in  your  hat 
is  an  imitation  or  type  of  a  natural  rose." 

"  Then  please  tell  me  how  the  act  of  immersion  is  like  the 
act  of  the  Spirit  falling  upon  men." 

"How?  —  why — "  Mary  stopped,  astonished  at  her  own  in- 
evitable and  necessary  inference. 

"  In  one  case,"  continued  Anna,  "  the  person  is  dipped  under 
the  water,  and  in  the  other  case  the  Spirit  fills  down  upon  the 
person  —  what  a  beautiful  type  is  this  truly  ! " 

"  Why,  Anna,  it's  no  type  at  all  —  is  it  ?  If  the  Spirit  is 
applied  to  the  person  —  then  to  be  a  type,  water  should  be  ap- 
plied to  the  person.  If  the  Spirit  descends  or  falls  upon  the 
person,  water  certainly  should  do  the  same." 

"Just  so,  Mary.  Now  you  know  why  I  said  that  there  was 
a  better  reason  still  why  water  was  to  be  considered  an  instru- 
ment in  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  just  as  Luke,  Peter,  and  our 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       151 

blessed  Savior  said  it  was.  And  the  statements  of  Matthew, 
Mark,  and  John  fully  harmonize  with  this  view  —  and  so  do 
those  of  Paul." 

"Yes,  that  is  perfectly  plain  now,  Anna;  and  I  shall  never 
see  any  one  dipped  under  the  water  again,  but  I  shall  think 
what  a  bad  type  it  is.  But  there  are  other  points  I  would  like 
to  have  you  examine.  Here  on  page  39,  regarding  the  meaning 
of  the  word  baptize,  it  says,  'It  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  in 
the  Xew  Testament  in  the  time  of  Christ,  and  among  the  people 
for  whom  the  Gospels  were  first  written  —  we  want  not  the 
meaning  it  has  acquired  since  its  transfer  to  our  language." 

"  And  I  would  add,"  replied  Anna,  "  neither  do  we  of  neces- 
sity confine  ourselves  to  the  primary  meaning  of  the  word  as 
used  by  heathen  writers  for  centuries  before  the  knowledge  of 
Christianity  was  introduced  among  them.  It  is  the  New  Testa- 
ment meaning  in  the  time  of  Christ,  we  want  —  that,  and  only 
that." 

"Well,"  said  Mary,  "how  is  that  to  be  got  at?  Do'nt  you 
have  to  refer  to  Greek  Lexicons  where  its  meaning  is  given  — 
and  is  it  not  always  given  there  to  clip,  to  immerse?" 

"It  is  to  be  got  at,"  responded  Anna,  "just  as  hundreds  of 
other  cases  in  the  New  Testament  Greek  are  disposed  of. 
Where  the  classical  signification  does  not  bring  out  the  force 
and  meaning  in  full,  then  give  it  the  meaning  that  the  nature 
of  the  case  demands  —  always  guided  of  course  and  influenced 
by  the  current  use  of  the  word. 

"  For  example,"  continued  Anna,  consulting  again  her  little 
memorandum-book,  "  Suppose  the  dispute  was  about  the  Greek 
word  &ixcuoovv7i  (dikiosune),  which  in  classic  Greek,  as  we  learn 
from  the  Lexicons,  means  justice,  equity,  etc.,  but  in  the  New 
Testament  must  mean  righteousness,  and  that  righteousness 
which  God  imputes  to  believers,  because  of  their  faith  in  Christ; 
also  the  righteousness  of  God.  Now  suppose  this  to  be  the 
word,  and  our  Baptist  friends  argue  as  they  do  about  the  Greek 
word  0artn£io,  as  you  will  find  by  referring  to  your  book,  page 


152  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

130,  where  it  is  stated  that,  *  The  New  Testament  was  written 
not  for  the  Jews,  but  for  the  Greeks  to  read,  and  consequently 
if  the  writers  did  not  use  Greek  words  in  their  ordinary  Greek 
sense,  they  would  not  be  understood ;  but  would  in  fact  convey 
an   absolute   falsehood.'     According    to  this,   then,   Si'xawavw; 
(dilciosunc)  should  be  called  justice  or  equity,  and  nothing  else, 
for  this  is  the  definition  the  Lexicons  give  it.     But  here  we 
should  be  obliged  to  nudge  our  Baptist  brother  a  little,  and  say 
that  sounds  very  well,  my  dear  brother,  but  just  turn  to  Matt. 
v.  6,  '  Blessed   are  they  which  do   hunger   and   thirst   after 
"  equity,"  for  they  shall  be  filled.'     Also  the  10th  verse  of  the 
same  chapter,  '  Blessed  are  they  who  are  persecuted  for  equity's 
sake.'     James  ii.  23,  '  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  im- 
puted unto  him  for  equity,'  etc.  etc.     Now,  my  dear  brother, 
what  will  you  do  with  this  word  ?    Will  you  persist  in  retaining 
your  heathen  meaning,  and  thereby  make  the  word  of  God  of 
none  effect,  a  jargon,  a  collection  of  inconsistencies?     Or  will 
you  rather  do,  as  we  are  obliged  to  do  in  every  translation,  warp 
the  meaning  of  the  words  a  little  to  suit  the  sentiment  and  the 
context  ?     And  besides,  there  are  scores  of  words  in  the  New 
Testament  not  found  in  classic  Greek  at  all.     Look  in  your 
Greek  Lexicons,  and  they  are  not  there !     "What  will  you  do 
with  these  —  call  them  zero  invariably,  or  selah  ?     Or  will  you 
throw  them  out  entirely  ?     To  be  consistent,  my  brother  Bap- 
tist, you  must  cast  them  overboard,  beyond  the  precincts  of  the 
New  Testament,  soul  and  body  and  all,  for  you  know  if  the 
writers  used  words  that  could  not  be  found  in  classic  G  reek  — 
this  heathen  Greek  you  adhere  to  with  such  tenacity  —  why 
how  in  the  name  of  all  human  things  could  they  be  understood 
at  all ! " 

"  Then  it  seems,"  said  Mary,  "  that  /3arfrifcd  is  not  the  only 
single  exception  for  which  a  change  of  meaning,  or  an  extended 
one,  is  to  be  claimed  —  but  only  one  word  out  of  many." 

"One  of  many,"  repeated  Anna;  "one  of  a  host  so  great 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       153 

that  instead  of  being  exceptions,  they  almost  become  the  rule. 
We  claim  that  the  apostles  labored  to  express  a  variety  of  new 
thoughts  and  ideas  never  before  expressed  in  the  Greek  tongue, 
and  consequently  of  necessity  they  extended  the  meaning  of 
words  and  even  coined  new  ones.  When  we  come  across  one 
not  found  in  classic  Greek,  we  know  of  course  that  to  be  a  new 
word  —  and  this  Baptists  can't  deny  —  so  also  when  a  word  is 
used,  of  which  the  construction  of  the  sentence  and  the  nature 
of  the  truths  taught,  demand  an  extended  meaning,  as  for  ex- 
ample the  one  just  referred  to,  Stxaioavvrj  (dikiosune),  then  we 
feel  ourselves  authorized  to  give  it. 

"And  we  claim  that  fio.7tr£u>  is  one  of  this  class,  for  Peter 
uses  it  in  such  a  connection  that  it  demands  it.  And  so  do  all 
the  apostles  who  use  it,  when  we  compare  parallel  passages  and 
keep  in  mind  its  design.  These  are  truths  which  are  evident 
to  every  reader  of  the  Greek  Testament,  and  hence  the  burden 
of  proof  is  thrown  upon  the  Baptists.  If  they  can  prove  that 
the  New  Testament  writers  did  use  all  words,  without  exception, 
in  the  ordinary  classic  Greek  sense,  then  this  word  $a7t*i£u  must 
go  in  with  the  rest,  and  the  Bible  become  an  unintelligible 
paradox.  But  if  they  fail  to  do  this,  we  prefer  so  to  interpret 
as  to  make  all  things  consistent  and  harmonious." 

"  I  am  astonished,"  said  Mary,  "  at  the  different  phases  you 
put  on  this  unanswerable  (?)  argument,  and  at  the  ease  with 
which  you  do  it.  Why  you  only  breathe  upon  it  and  it's  gone  ! 
But  I'm  sure  that  here  on  page  45,  it  makes  the  Bev.  Albert 
Barnes,  in  his  notes  on  the  New  Testament,  admit  everything 
—  only  just  read  it,  Anna." 

"I  recollect  it  perfectly  well,"  replied  Anna,  "but  instead 
of  admitting  or  granting  everything,  he  in  reality  grants  nothing 
that  touches  the  point  in  question.  It  is  so  fixed  up  there  and 
so  construed  as  to  convey  that  impression  to  those  not  familiar 
with  his  way  of  jumping  conclusions  and  making  assumptions. 
He  also  makes  numerous   quotations  from   Prof.  Stuart  and 


151  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

others,  but  all  this  great  parade  of  names  is  simply  to  jprove 
what  everybody  grants !  All  classical  scholars  admit  that  the 
original  —  the  primary  meaning  of  $o.rctt.<Zu>  is  to  dip,  and  that 

it  is  kindred  in  meaning  to  the  Hebrew  word  'tabaV  (S^M)} 

just  as  they  do  that  the  classical  meaning  of  Sixaioavvr;  is  equity, 
etc.  But  what  weight  has  all  this,  when  these  same  classical 
scholars  assure  us  that  in  the  Hellenistic  Greek,  the  Greek  of 
the  Xew  Testament,  these  words  were  used  to  convey  a  differ- 
ent meaning.  How  they  were  used  by  the  heathen  Greeks  is 
not  the  question  at  issue.  But  the  cpiestion  is  how  did  the 
Apostles,  the  early  Christian  Greeks  use  these  words,  and  what 
is  the  evidence  going  to  show  that  they  were  used  in  other 
than  their  primary  sense  ?  There  is  not  even  a  shadow  of  proof 
—  where  there  is  no  substance  there  can  be  no  shadow,  and  so 
where  there  is  no  proof  there  can  be  no  shadow  of  it — that 
they  employed  the  word  Qam:^  in  its  strict  classical  sense  :  but 
on  the  other  hand  all  the  evidences  go  to  prove  that  it  was 
otherwise  employed.  Now  turn  to  page  144,  and  see  what 
reasoning  your  author  uses  to  prove  that  this  word  must  have 
its  original  signification.  He  says  there,  '  This  word  was  used 
hundreds  of  years  before  Luke  wrote  this  book.  Its  meaning 
was  as  well  fixed  and  defined  as  that  of  any  word  in  the  Greek 
language.  Luke  was  writing  to  those  who  read  and  spoke  (?) 
and  understood  this  language  (this  word  among  the  rest)  in  its 
ordinary  sense,  according  to  the  familiar  every-day  usage  of  the 
people  who  employed  it.  We  agree,  and  every  scholar  or  critic 
of  any  note  has  never  denied  that  the  common,  familiar  (by  this 
he  means  the  classical)  meaning  of  this  word  was  to  submerge, 
to  dip.  This  we  have  proved  (I  think  he  made  a  great  effort 
to  prove  what  every  one  admits).  But  now  we  want  to  know 
in  what  sense  Luke  employs  it  (  Exactly,  that  is  what  wo  all 
want).  I  answer  that  the  presumption  (!)  is  that  he  employs 
it  just  as  every  other  writer  does,  for  if  he  does  not,  nobody 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  155 

will  understand  what  ho  means  (!).  He  must  use  words  in  the 
sense  that  other  people  use  them,  or  other  people  will  not  know 
what  he  means ;  but  as  he  wishes  to  be  understood,  and  writes 
under  the  inspiration  of  infinite  wisdom,  he  will  use  words 
thus.'  (!) 

"  Weighty  reasons  these  !  And  it's  all  they  have  to  urge  ! 
Xot  the  shadow  of  proof!  Not  the  shadow  of  an  argument 
drawn  from  the  harmony  and  consistency  of  the  statements,  and 
of  things  in  the  connection  where  it  is  used  !  He  did  not  dare 
venture  on  that  ground  !  But  I  would  ask,  can  any  one  with 
even  a  pretence  of  being  a  Biblical  and  classical  scholar,  look 
another  in  the  face  and  eye,  and  assert  that  Luke  employed 
words  (all  words)  just  as  emery  other  Greek  writer  did,  and  had 
done  ?  How  can  any  one  assert  such  barefaced  falsehoods, 
with  words  too  numerous  to  mention  changed  in  their  meaning 
from  specific  to  generic  terms  —  with  hundreds  having  their 
significations  almost  entirely  changed,  and  with  scores  of  wholly 
new-coined  words  staring  him  in  the  face,  and  some  of  them 
looking  out  in  bold  effrontery  from  every  page  of  his  Greek 
Testament  ?  One  who  can  do  that  can  do  anything  to  support 
a  bad  cause  and  a  weak  argument." 

"  0,  Anna,  is  it  possible  !  I  always  supposed  that  Pedobap- 
tists  were  the  inconsistent  ones,  claiming  for  this  word  Sartr^co 
what  they  could  not  claim,  and  did  not  claim  of  another  word 
in  the  whole  Xew  Testament.  One  would  think  so,  from  what 
it  says  here." 

"  True,  that  is  the  impression  conveyed,  but  it  is  utterly 
false.  Now  after  your  author  gets  the  argument  fixed  up  in 
this  shape,  just  see  how  he  applies  it  on  page  151.  He  ima- 
gines that  he  has  got  the  conviction  fast  and  strong  in  the  mind 
of  his  reader,  that  neither  Luke  nor  the  other  writers  of  the 
New  Testament  would  dare  to  take  the  least  liberty  in  extend- 
ing the  meaning  of  a  word  for  fear  they  would  not  be  under- 
stood, even  though  the  language  as  then  used  by  Greek  writers 


1 56  ANNA    CLATTONj     OR, 

was  utterly  destitute  of  a  spiritual  element ;  and  almost  every- 
thing was  spiritual  that  they  labored  to  express.  Still  Luke, 
as  well  as  the  others,  the  most  learned  of  the  Evangelists,  and 
of  all  the  Apostles  save  Paul,  must  hind  his  thoughts  and  feel- 
ings down  to  dead  words  and  definitions  already  coined — having 
only  heathen  significations — or  else  keep  them  to  himself!  But 
after  these  things  had  been  duly  impressed  upon  the  mind  of 
Luke ;  and  with  all  the  care  that  we  can  imagine  he  would 
exercise  in  expressing  himself  a  la  mode  Greek;  and  even  with 
the  weighty  alternative  too  that  our  friend  urges  and  places 
before  him,  that  unless  he  confines  himself  strictly,  he  will  be 
guilty  of  conveying  an  absolute  falsehood ;  yet  we  find  that  in 
many  very  troublesome  '  figures  of  speech,'  as  our  friend  calls 
them,  he  so  far  forgets  himself,  and  what  he  is  talking  about, 
although  '  inspired  by  infinite  wisdom,'  as  to  make  exceedingly 
dark  and  doubtful  references  to  this  act  called  immersion;  so 
dark  and  doubtful,  indeed,  that  I  am  afraid  the  people  had  the 
greatest  possible  difficulty  in  tracing  the  connection  between 
them  —  from  one  to  the  other. 

"  But  our  great  expounder  of  the  Baptist  faith  here  very 
kindly  overlooks  this  in  Luke,  simply  remarking  that  the  '  allu- 
sion must  be  in  some  way  or  other  to  immersion,  or  some  cir- 
cumstance attending  immersion.  On  this  alone  would  its 
beauty  and  appropriateness  as  a  figure  depend.'  A  figure  of 
what  —  will  the  author  inform  us?  When  John  said,  'I  bap- 
tize you  with  water,  but  he  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,'  did  he  expect  to  be  understood  that  his  own  was  a  real, 
literal  baptism,  and  his  Lord's  a  mere  fancy — a  figure  of  speech  ? 
Or  did  he  mean  that  the  first  was  a  real,  literal  water  baptism,) 
and  the  other  a  real,  literal  Spirit  baptism,  the  first  being  used 
to  impress  upon  our  minds  the  nature  and  effect  of  the  Other? 
But  here  our  Baptist  Mend  assumes  to  interpret,  after  this  novel 
manner,  God's  word,  which  is  a  revelation  to  us  of  spiritual 
things  only,  and  in  which  material  things  are  used  simply  as 


THE  INQUIRER  AETER  TRUTH.       157 

vehicles  of  spiritual  impressions.  He  lays  hold  of  a  material 
ordinance,  and  instead  of  earning  it  up  to  its  spiritual  fount, 
there  to  contemplate  its  beauty  and  harmony,  he  drags  it  off  to 
a  foreign  court  to  have  its  length,  breadth,  height  and  depth, 
determined  upon,  and  works  himself  up  to  a  fever  heat  in  at- 
tempting to  adjust  the  spiritual  thing  symbolized,  to  the  newly- 
acquired  dimensions.  Although  utterly  unable  to  make  out  a 
fit  for  it,  by  giving  a  pull  here  and  a  tuck  there,  yet  he  solaces 
himself  as  follows :  '  We  have  settled  the  meaning  of  this  word 
by  its  real,  literal,  every-day  usage,  and  we  cannot  unsettle  it 
by  a  figure  of  speech  —  a  chance  allusion  or  comparison/  (!) 
That  certainly  is  very  coolly  disposing  of  the  Lord's  baptism. 
To  be  consistent  he  must  take  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  treat  it 
in  the  same  manner !  Drag  this  ordinance  into  a  Greek  court, 
and  there  having  idolators  and  heathens  sitting  as  umpires  as  in 
the  other  case,  have  its  meaning  determined  upon  in  like  man- 
ner !  The  words  ^artrtfeo  and  Siixvov,  say  your  judges,  were 
used  hundreds  of  years  before  this  Christian  book  was  thought 
of, — their  meaning  is  well  fixed  and  defined,  as  much  so  as  any 
other  words  in  our  language ;  and  as  you  use  our  words,  you 
must  confine  yourselves  to  our  definitions  —  indeed,  we  shall 
refuse  to  understand  you,  if  you  attempt  to  extend  their  mean- 
ing, or  to  generalize  their  signification.  By  dam:^,  we  mean 
only  the  act  of  being  dipped.  By  huitvov,  we  mean  only  the 
act  of  taking  a  fall  mod,  in  which  we  eat  and  drink  to  satiety. 
Now  you  understand  the  matter,  and  we  hope  you  will  let  it  rest." 

"  Is  it  possible,"  exclaimed  Mary,  "  that  that  is  the  meaning 
of  the  word  supper,  as  used  in  this  connection  ?" 

"  It  is  the  literal,  classical  meaning,"  replied  Anna.  "  The 
Lord's  Supper  means  afidl  meal,  just  as  much  as  the  Lord's 
baptism  means  immersion.  And  this  is  all  the  author's  great 
parade  of  Greek  authorities  amounts  to  !  Why  do'nt  he  com- 
pare Scripture  with  Scripture,  and  thus  determine  the  meaning 
of  terms  as  used  by  the  New  Testament  writers  ? " 
14 


158  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  But  the  Lord's  baptism,"  said  Mary,  "  was  a  Spirit  baptism." 

"  What  possible  difference  can  that  make  in  this  matter?  It 
was  a  baptism — the  word  $o.7tii{,">  was  used  to  express  it.  Jesus 
said,  '  John  truly  baptized  with  water,  but  ye  shall  be  baptized 
with  the  Holy  Ghost.'  What  John  did  to  his  disciples  with 
water,  shall  be  done  to  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  Peter 
said  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  them,  as  on  us  at  the  beginning, 
then  remembered  I  this  promise.  When  I  am  baptized,  I 
shall  receive  it  as  a  symbol  of  the  Holy  Ghost  baptism,  whose 
influences  I  trust  I  have  already  felt  within  my  soul ;  and  I 
must  receive  it  in  that  manner  that  will  perfectly  symbolize  it 
according  to  the  teachings  of  God's  word.  If  the  Spirit  falls 
or  descends  upon  the  soul — and  so  says  the  word  of  God — then 
as  water  is  used  as  a  type  of  the  Spirit's  descent,  it  also  should 
fall  or  descend  upon  me.  If  the  Spirit  is  applied  to  the  soul — 
and  this  we  are  taught  by  the  Sacred  Scriptures  —  then  water 
should  be  applied  to  the  person  —  to  me.  I  cannot  consent  to 
be  applied  to  it,  i.  c,  dipped  under  it,  for  that  is  not  in  har- 
mony with  what  we  are  taught.  If  the  Holy  Ghost  is  used  as 
an  instrument  or  agent  —  and  who  will  deny  that  it  is  through 
his  instrumentality  that  the  soul  is  regenerated  ?  —  then  water 
must  be  used  as  an  instrument  when  I  am  baptized.  But  I 
am  willing  that  others  should  reason  and  decide  for  themselves. 
I  would  not  influence  you,  Mary,  only  to  lead  you  to  investigate 
the  subject,  that  you  may  be  led  into  the  truth,  and  know  the 
reason  of  the  faith  that  is  in  you." 

"  Thank  you,"  replied  Mary;  ayou  have  always  been  a  friend 
to  me,  and  I  receive  this  as  an  additional  proof  of  your  regard 
for  my  best  interests.  You  have  given  me  the  key-note ;  and 
I  will  endeavor  to  harmonize  everything  to  it.  I  perceive  this 
to  be  a  work  of  399  pages,  written  upon  the  form  of  an  out- 
ward rite,  with  not  a  lisp  of  its  spiritual  significance." 

"  Yes,"  responded  Anna;  "  and  it  is  just  as  valuable  as  any 
other  work  would  be  of  an  equal  number  of  pages  treating 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  159 

upon  the  form  of  the  Lord's  Supper — giving  minute  directions 
as  to  the  quality  and  quantity  of  bread  and  wine  —  insisting 
that  it  shall  be  of  sufficient  quantity  to  produce  satiety  accord- 
ing to  the  meaning  of  the  word  8et.7tv6v,  definitely  indicating 
the  posture  of  the  body  and  the  manner  of  swallowing,  with 
nothing  whatever  about  discerning  the  Lord's  body !  And 
whether  such  a  work  would  be  a  blessing  or  a  curse  to  the 
world,  I  would  be  willing  to  submit  to  any  intelligent  and  con- 
sistent Christian  living.  Instead  of  closing  the  breach  now  se- 
parating the  different  branches  of  Christ's  church,  or  tending 
to  this  effect — it  but  widens  and  deepens  it — and  embitters  the 
feelings  of  his  own  branch,  and  renders  more  hostile  their  atti- 
tude and  bearings  towards  their  more  consistent  and  peaceable 
neighbors. 

"  I  have  no  doubt  that  many  persons  take  upon  themselves 
the  ordinance  of  baptism  without  anything  like  an  intelligent 
Scriptural  view  of  its  significancy  and  use ;  having  vague  and 
undigested  ideas  of  peculiar  virtues  being  bestowed  by  it;  or 
else  regarding  it  simply  as  an  initiatory  rite,  by  which  they 
become  members  of  a  certain  church,  or  rather  by  which  they 
embrace  and  subscribe  to  the  tenets  of  a  particular  sect.  O 
what  a  prostitution  is  this  of  God's  ordinances !  Is  such  a  sin 
of  ignorance  to  be  winked  at  when  there  is  a  Bible  in  every 
house,  and  almost  in  every  hand  ?  If  all  were  taught  to  regard 
the  ordinance  of  baptism  as  an  outward  sign  of  faith  in  the 
agency  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  the  soul  —  received  as  a  gift 
from  the  Father  through  the  atonement  of  the  Son — for  Jesus 
said,  '  When  the  Comforter  is  come  whom  /  will  send  unto  you 
from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  which  proceedeth 
from  the  Father,' — would  they  not  often  pause,  and  fear  to  lay 
hands  suddenly  upon  holy  things  ?  Would  they  not  tremble 
lest  they  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  knowing  that  it  never  can 
be  forgiven  them  ?  " 


1G0  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  0,  Anna,  Anna,  I  have  been  guilty  of  just  this  thing !  I 
had  no  higher  views  of  this  ordinance  than  merely  to  regard  it 
as  a,  form  I  must  go  through  in  order  to  become  a  church 
member.  I  had  no  conception  of  its  spiritual  usage !  May 
God  forgive  me,  for  I  discover  it  must  have  been  offensive  and 
sinful,  so  to  regard  it,  in  the  eyes  of  a  holy  God,  who  is  a 
Spirit,  and  seeketh  spiritual  worshippers.  May  God  forgive 
me ! "  again  sobbed  Mary. 

"The  orb  of  day, 
In  southern  climes,  o'er  ocean's  waveless  field 
Sinks  sweetly  smiling ;  not  the  faintest  breath 
Steals  o'er  the  unruffled  deep ;  the  clouds  of  eve 
Reflect  unmoved  the  lingering  beam  of  day ; 
And  vesper  image  on  the  western  main 
Is  beautifully  still.     To-morrow  comes ; 
Cloud  upon  cloud,  in  dark  and  deepening  mass, 
Roll  o'er  the  blacken'd  waters ;  the  deep  roar 
Of  distant  thunder  mutters  awfully; 
Tempest  unfolds  its  pinion  o'er  the  gloom 
That  shrouds  the  boiling  surge ;  the  pitiless  fiend, 
AVith.  all  his  winds  and  lightnings,  tracks  his  prey; 
The  torn  deep  yawns,  —  the  vessel  finds  a  grave 
Beneath  its  jagged  gulf." 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  161 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


"I  may  stand  alone, 
But  would  not  change  my  free  ivill  for  a  throne." 


It  was  late  when  Anna  returned  home.  She  had  paused  on 
the  summit  of  the  hill  to  watch  the  glory  of  the  sunset  heavens, 
and  to  dream  of  the  glory  far  beyond  the  fleecy  clouds,  an  un- 
dimmed  brightness  of  real  glory,  not  of  cold  grey  mist,  whose 
transitory  hues,  caught  from  the  sunbeams,  fade  and  vanish  as 
the  shadows  creep  along  the  earth.  The  sun  went  down.  The 
sky,  which  was  kindled  with  a  rosy  flush,  faded  into  grey  — 
dull,  sombre  grey — just  as  sorrow  fades  the  rose-tinted  hopes 
of  mortals.  Then  came  the  shadowy  train  of  solemn  night 
which  wrapped  the  earth  in  gloom,  but  lit  up  the  heavens  w:ith 
stars.  If  there  were  no  night,  we  would  not  know  that  there 
were  any  stars — it  teaches  us  a  lesson.  When  the  sunshine  of 
prosperity  suddenly  departs,  and  darkness  gathers  around  us, 
we  can  forget  how  dark  it  is  by  looking  up,  and  thus  catch 
the  glory  of  ten  thousand  suns  whose  existence  we  had  not 
dreamed  of. 

As  Anna  entered  the  house,  the  first  glance  told  her  that 
the  clerical  trio  were  awaiting,  with  some  degree  of  impatience, 
her  arrival.  Hardly  giving  her  time  to  lay  aside  her  bonnet, 
Brother  Burton  motioned  her  to  a  seat,  and  began;  "Miss 
Anna,  your  father  desires  me  to  say  to  you,  that  it  is  his  wish 
that  you  shall  attend  the  Covenant  meeting  to-morrow,  and  go 

14*  L 


162  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

on  in  the  ordinance  of  baptism  with  your  young  friends,  Mr. 
Sims,  Miss  Sherwood,  and  Miss  Stocher.  He  desires  earnestly 
to  see  you  take  a  stand  for  God  in  the  Christian  church,  as  he 
thinks  it  would  increase  your  usefulness ;  and  perhaps  your  ex- 
ample might  be  the  means  of  leading  others  along  the  same 
road  to  heaven." 

"As  my  father  is  present,"  replied  Anna;  "I  will  reply 
directly  to  him,  that  I  would  dearly  love  to  gratify  him,  as  it 
is  all  I  can  do  —  and  a  small  return,  indeed  —  for  all  his  kind- 
nesses ;  but  his  request  comprehends  what  is  to  me  a  matter 
of  conscience ;  and  he  himself  has  taught  me  never  to  hesi- 
tate between  duty  toward  God  and  duty  toward  man." 

"Duty  toward  God!"  replied  Brother  Burton.  "Has  not 
God  commanded  you  to  'honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother;' 
and  how  are  you  to  honor  them  but  by  obedience  ?  Again,  He 
says,  '  Children,  obey  your  parents ;'  if  you  are  looking  in  that 
direction  for  guidance,  I  think  you  will  find  your  duty  pointed 
out  plainly." 

"  There  are  some  things,"  replied  Anna,  "  so  entirely  be- 
tween an  individual  soul  and  its  God,  that  no  one  can  step  be- 
tween, whether  he  be  parent,  priest,  or  king.  If  a  mandate 
from  either  conflicts  with  the  promptings  of  an  enlightened 
conscience  regarding  duty  toward  God  —  the  command  must 
yield,  and  conscience  must  triumph.  If  it  was  simply  a  ques- 
tion between  my  will  and  his  will  involving  nothing  more  to 
either,  then  mine  should  yield  to  his.  If  I  was  simply  required 
to  join  some  church,  it  would  not  conflict  with  my  understand- 
ing of  God's  word,  and  I  should  feel  in  duty  bound  to  comply ; 
but  before  I  can  yield  to  a  requirement  to  join  a  particular 
church,  I  must  be  convinced  that  that  particular  church  is 
right,  that  her  doctrines  are  in  harmony  with  my  understand- 
ing of  God's  truth." 

Spoken  like  my  Anna,  thought  Elder  Clayton,  but  he  pru- 
dently kept  his  thoughts  to  himself. 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  163 

"  If  that  principle  should  be  universally  acted  upon/'  said 
Elder  Burton,  "  everything  would  be  a  matter  of  conscience, 
and  there  would  be  an  end  of  parental  authority  and  civil  go- 
vernment. Your  father's  request  runs  parallel  with  God's 
commands,  and  it  is  your  father's  duty  to  see  that  you  comply. 
God  requires  you  to  separate  yourself  from  the  world,  and  to 
do  it  now.  Your  father  requires  you  to  do  it  noic.  A  month, 
or  six  months  hence,  is  not  Gospel  time.  But  if  you  refuse, 
and  persist  in  disobedience,  you  must  expect  to  reap  the  bitter 
fruits  of  disobedience.  Listen  to  the  law  of  God  respecting 
such  rebellion  against  parental  authority." 

Brother  Burton  opened  the  family  Bible  that  lay  upon  the 
center-table,  and  turning  to  Deut.  xxi.  18,  read :  "If  a  man 
have  a  stubborn  and  rebellious  son,  which  will  not  obey  the 
voice  of  his  father,  or  the  voice  of  his  mother,  and  that  when 
they  have  chastened  him,  will  not  hearken  unto  them ;  then 
shall  his  father  and  his  mother  lay  hold  on  him,  and  bring  him 
out  unto  the  elders  of  his  city,  and  unto  the  gate  of  his  place ; 
and  they  shall  say  unto  the  elders  of  his  city,  This  our  son  is 
stubborn  and  rebellious,  he  will  not  obey  our  voice :  And  all 
the  men  of  his  city  shall  stone  him  with  stones  that  he  die." 
Brother  Burton  read  this  with  the  solemnity  of  a  judge  pro- 
nouncing the  sentence  of  death  upon  a  criminal  at  the  bar;  then 
closed  the  book  and  rising  to  his  feet,  turned  toward  Anna  with 
an  air  that  was  expected  to  be  impressive,  and  said,  "  Xow  you 
discover,  Miss  Clayton,  what  you  may  expect  from  the  court  to 
which  you  appeal.  The  law  of  God  leaves  no  excuse  for  you, 
and  I  trust  you  see  under  what  a  mistaken  idea  you  have  been 
laboring,  and  that  you  will  go  on  and  do  your  duty  as  an  affec- 
tionate and  dutiful  child  should,  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  But 
if  you  do  not,  you  can  hardly  expect  to  share  the  affections  and 
favors  of  those  whose  authority  you  despise.  They  have  taken 
you — a  poor  orphan,  houseless  and  friendless  —  to  the  comforts 
of  their  own  house,  have  watched  over  you  in  sickness  and  in 


164  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

health,  and  supplied  all  your  wants  with  a  parent's  tenderness, 
and  are  still  seeking  to  guide  your  young  feet  into  the  paths  of 
peace  and  virtue.  If  such  care  and  kindness  is  to  be  met  with 
ingratitude  and  rebellion,  they  can  hardly  be  expected  to  con- 
tinue it  longer." 

This  touched  Anna  to  the  quick  :  she  trembled  violently,  and 
turned  her  eyes,  half  blinded  with  tears,  toward  her  foster 
father  —  her  more  than  father,  as  she  often  called  him  in  the 
fondness  of  her  heart,  longing  to  assure  him  of  her  love  and 
gratitude  for  his  care;  but  his  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  floor,  and 
she  could  read  nothing  from  his  rigid  features.  She  looked 
around  pleadingly  in  search  of  a  kindly  glance,  but  there  was 
not  one  to  greet  her.  Mother  Clayton  was  intent  upon  her 
knitting-work  ;  Father  Longwind  looked  abstractedly  from  the 
open  window;  Brother  Burton's  eyes,  glowing  with  expected 
triumph,  were  searching  her  with  an  eager  watch  for  prey ;  and 
George  and  Halley  were  not  there  —  0,  why  had  they  gone 
away  ?  thought  the  troubled,  lonely,  helpless  Anna.  The 
clinging  vine  reaches  in  vain  for  support,  it  leans  on  empty 
space,  a  worse  than  broken  reed.  Trail  not  upon  the  earth, 
thou  vine,  but  lift  thy  head  trustingly  towards  heaven  ;  lay  hold 
upon  that  Rock  whose  support  shall  not  fail  thee  —  Anna,  look 
up  to  God  !  Anna  did  look  up  to  her  heavenly  Father  with  an 
earnest  though  silent  cry  for  help  and  guidance  —  and  she  was 
no  longer  alone. 

"  Of  course  you  can  have  time  to  think  of  this,"  continued 
Elder  Burton,  judging  from  her  agitation  and  silence  that  she 
was  ready  to  yield.  "  We  shall  expect  your  final  decision  in 
the  morning  —  whether  you  choose  duty  in  obedience  and  the 
continued  regard  of  your  parents  and  friends,  or  a  path  of  dis- 
obedience, and  the  world  before  you  —  a  wanderer!" 

Elder  Clayton  started  nervously,  and  glanced  inquiringly, 
almost  pleadingly,  at  Anna  :  indeed,  every  eye  was  arrested  now, 
and   fixed   on  her  in  anxious  waiting   for  the  reply.     Anna 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  1G5 

trembled  a  little  at  first,  and  her  lip  quivered,  but  in  a  moment 
she  looked  up  calmly,  steadily,  and  replied  that  it  would  not  be 
well  to  wait  for  the  morrow  —  she  was  ready  to  decide  now. 

"  Then  let  us  have  your  decision,"  said  Elder  Burton,  quite 
haughtily,  and  with  an  air  of  triumph. 

"  The  act  of  immersion,"  responded  Anna,  at  first  in  quite  a 
subdued  but  calm  voice,  which  grew  firmer  as  she  proceeded — 
"  would  be  to  me  a  senseless  form.  I  should  not  feel  that  I 
was  obeying  my  Savior,  but  disobeying  him.  By  uniting  with 
you  I  should  subscribe  to  what  I  do  not  believe — I  should  come 
before  God  with  a  lie  in  my  mouth,  and  I  know  He  would 
abominate  the  offering.     I  cannot  —  I  dare  not! 

"  My  father,"  she  continued,  turning  to  him,  "  you  have 
never  found  me  in  past  years  stubborn  and  rebellious,  then  do 
not  judge  me  harshly  now.  'Tis  true  I  owe  you  much,  I  would 
not  hesitate  to  pay  that  debt  with  any  sacrifice  of  worldly  good 
—  I'de  even  give  my  life,  but  /  dare  not  lie  to  God!     I  will 

go." 

Had  a  thunder-bolt  fallen  within  the  circle,  they  could  not 
have  been  more  surprised  than  they  were  at  her  determined 
manner,  and  her  unyielding  decision.  She  had  already  passed 
the  door. 

"  Anna !  Anna  !  Come  back,  child  !  What  can  you  do  out 
in  the  cold  world  ?  No,  no,  you  shall  not  be  driven  away ! 
Your  dying  mother's  pale  face  haunts  me  now;  come  back, 
Anna  !  You  need  not  believe  what  you  can  find  no  reason  for 
believing ! " 

Anna's  heart  was  touched  —  the  transition  which  came  over 
her  feelings  unloosed  the  fountains  of  her  tears  afresh,  and  in 
trembling  accents  she  exclaimed  : 

"  My  father!  May  God  bless  you,  my  father  —  my  more 
than  father ! " 

"  Not  a  word  about  that — I've  been  cruel  and  harsh,  unfeel- 
ingly harsh  !    My  child,  my  Anna,  come  back  !    This  roof  shall 


166  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

shelter  you  as  long  as  it  shelters  me  !  I  do  not  believe  in  being 
driven,  as  a  beast  is  driven  to  the  water.  Come  back,  child, 
and  let  us  reason  the  matter  together.  Do  not  fear  to  speak 
honestly,  for  I  will  not  force  the  conscience  of  any  one;  tell  us 
plainly  why  it  is  you  cannot  go  with  us  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  believe,"  replied  Anna,  re-entering  the  room  and 
seating  herself  modestly  by  her  kind-hearted  foster-father, 
"  that  the  Baptist  church  is  the  only  Gospel  church,  nor  could 
I  in  my  conscience  exclude  other  Christians  from  the  com- 
munion." 

"Ah,  that  is  it  ?  Well,  I  do'nt  know  —  let's  see — have  you 
read  this  book  ?  —  this  is  what  I  call  a  fair  exposition  of  the 
matter." 

"  Yes,  father,  I  have  read  it." 

"  What,  and  not  convinced  ?  I  fear,  my  child,  you  are  in- 
corrigible," said  the  Elder,  smilingly. 

"  To  support  your  claims  of  being  the  only  true  church," 
replied  Anna,  "you  must  prove  that  immersion  was  John's 
baptism,  that  immersion  was  the  apostles'  baptism,  that  immer- 
sion was  the  Holy  Ghost  baptism ;  and  after  proving  this,  which 
is  not  proved  in  that  book,  and  which  never  was  proved,  then  you 
must  prove  that  the  form  of  immersion  is  essential  to  the  ordi- 
nance, so  that  it  would  not  be  acceptable  to  God  without  it." 

"  Well,  is  not  that  proved  here,  Anna  ?  " 

"  It  is  not,  father ;  nor  can  it  be  anywhere,  because  God  has 
decided  otherwise.  Is  he  not  a  proper  Judge  of  what  is  ac- 
ceptable to  him  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  my  child,  certainly." 

"Does  he  not  accept  and  bless  other  churches  as  churches, 
giving  them  precious  outpourings  of  his  Spirit  ?  Does  he  not 
bring  sinners  with  humble,  broken  hearts,  into  their  folds, 
equally  as  into  the  pale  of  the  Baptist  church  ?  Dare  you  dic- 
tate to  God  just  what  he  shall  recognize '!  Dare  you  prescribe 
terms  for  the  Almighty  ?  " 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       167 

"  Not  so  fast,  Anna ;  I'm  sure  we  have  no  desire  to  do  any 
such  thing." 

"  But  do  you  not  do  it  when  you  say,  '  Our  church  is  the 
only  church  which  should  be  recognized  as  a  Gospel  church.' 
Listen,  dear  father,  to  the  voice  of  God,  pealing  like  the 
thunders  from  Sinai.  '  I  place  my  seal  on  all  those  who  are 
acceptable  to  me.'  Listen  !  it  is  not  all  of  any  name :  there 
are  many  who  have  a  name  to  live  and  are  dead,  but  where  my 
Spirit  is  there  am  I  to  bless.  Do  you  see  hard  hearts  melting 
before  an  unseen  power  ?  Do  you  see  stout  hearts  trembling 
before  a  still  small  voice  ?  Do  you  hear  Christians  praying, 
and  do  you  see  sinners  weeping  ?  There  am  I- — that  is  my  sent 
— those  are  mine.  And  shall  those  whom  God  recognizes  and 
accepts  refuse  to  commemorate  together  the  death  of  their 
common  Lord  ?  For  shame  !  for  shame  !  0,  it  seems  to  me 
that  I  can  see  Jesus  standing  before  the  Throne  of  the  Father, 
with  bleeding  hands  and  streaming  side,  pleading,  '  0  Father, 
grant  that  they  may  all  be  one,  as  thou  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee. 
0  Father,  make  them  one  in  us,  that  the  world  may  believe  that 
thou  hast  sent  me.  Dare  I  place  a  pebble  in  the  way  of  the 
fulfilment  of  that  prayer  ?  God  forbid !  rather  let  my  hand 
wither,  and  my  tongue  palsy  ! 

"  But  what  shall  I  say  of  those  who  roll  mountains  between 
the  members  of  Christ's  body,  and  build  a  partition  wall  with 
which  they  would  fain  fence  the  Almighty  within  ?  God  for- 
give them,  but  I  would  not  dare  do  thus  —  nor  dare  I  hold  my 
peace,  for  if  I  should  my  heart  would  consume  with  grief:  as 
long  as  God  giveth  me  breath,  I  will  not  cease  to  denounce  this 
separation  of  the  members  of  Christ's  church ! " 

"  0  Anna,  Anna — I'm  sure  you  present  the  case  too  strongly. 
"\\  e  act  upon  the  same  principles  that  other  denominations  act 
upon.  We  believe,  it  is  true,  that  a  person  must  be  baptized 
before  being  admitted  to  the  communion-table,  and  we  believe 
that  immersion  is  the  only  baptism ;  so  how  can  we  do  differently 


168  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

from  what  we  do?  We  act  upon  the  same  principles  that 
others  do ;  we  only  differ  about  baptism — about  what  constitutes 
baptism.  We  believe  it  is  being  dipped  under  water,  and  others 
believe  it  to  be  either  sprinkling,  or  pouring,  or  immersion  — 
they  admit  all  they  consider  baptized,  and  we  admit  all  we  con- 
sider baptized  —  do'nt  you  see  there  is  no  difference?" 

"  I  need  no  process  of  reasoning,"  replied  Anna,  "  to  con- 
vince me  that  those  rules  are  wrong  whose  workings  are  so 
disastrous  to  the  cause  of  religion  among  men,  as  to  exclude 
from  fellowship  and  communion  the  larger  part  of  that  body  of 
professing  Christians  whom  God  himself  recognizes — mark  the 
assertion — whom  God  recognizes  as  members  of  his  family — not 
those  who  may  simply  profess.  And  there  should  be  no  tests 
used  but  those  that  shall  decide  whether  they  are  recognized  by 
God  or  not.  Those  churches  which  God  builds  up  and 
strengthens  —  those  churches  where  God  pours  out  his  spirit 
and  revives  his  work  in  the  hearts  of  his  people,  and  converts 
sinners  from  the  error  of  their  ways,  are  God's  churches,  are 
Gospel  churches — no  matter  by  what  name  known,  no  matter  how 
baptized ! 

"  There  are  churches,  or  those  professing  to  be  such,  where 
God  never  appears;  where  his  presence  in  the  third  person  of 
the  Trinity  is  never  known,  where  the  Holy  Spirit  is  not  even 
recognized  —  throw  them  out:  you  can  do  it  with  all  safety,  for 
they  are  not  recognized  by  God.  But  beware  how  you  draw 
lines  upon  those  with  whom  God  deigns  to  dwell,  lest  you  be 
found  contending  with  God,  and  stir  him  up  in  his  anger  !  I 
can  see  that  there  is  a  difference  in  the  working  of  your  prin- 
ciples and  the  principles  of  your  neighbors.  In  one  case  the 
door  is  thrown  open,  not  to  the  whole  world,  but  to  all  of  God's 
family  —  all  whom  he  recognizes  as  such;  they  are  invited  to 
assemble  in  one  body,  to  meet  around  one  table,  and  to  remember 
there  the  sufferings  and  death  of  their  common  Lord ;  but  in 
the  other  case  the  door  is  shut  upon  the  greater  part  of  them 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  169 

with  a  nudge  and  '  Stand  aside,  I  am,  in  some  way,  holier  than 
thou ! '  That  is  the  principle  I  contemn  !  If  you  were  not 
more  controlled  by  a  love  of  forms  and  ceremonies,  than  by  the 
Spirit  of  the  Gospel,  you  would  not  allow  a  mere  form  to  step 
in  and  cause  a  separation.  Nor  does  it  grow  necessarily  out  of 
your  baptism.  Separation  was  not  a  necessary  consequence 
with  such  men  (Baptist  men)  as  Robert  Hall,  John  Bunyan, 
Baptist  Noel,  and  others.  And  these  very  men,  although  Bap- 
tists and  regularly  immersed,  you  consider  outside  the  pale  of 
your  church  —  Christ's  church — because  they  insisted  upon 
recognizing  as  brethren  whom  God  recognized  as  children. 

"  It  is  not  enough  according  to  the  practice  of  your  church 
that  a  person  be  a  pious  Baptist  in  good  and  regular  standing 
in  his  own  church,  but  he  must  belong  to  the  church  or  be  ex- 
cluded from  Communion.  No,  no,  it  is  not  a  formal  baptism 
that  is  a  prerequisite  to  Communion,  that  lies  at  the  bottom  of 
this  exclusiveness :  it  is  rather  the  Papal  error  of  confining 
Christ's  church  within  the  borders  of  your  own  denomination  ! 
You  say  that  like  all  other  denominations  you  require  only 
evidences  of  conversion  and  baptism — this  is  not  true,  for  when 
both  are  given  you,  even  then  you  refuse  the  applicant.  If 
Bunyan  himself  stood  at  your  door  dripping  with  baptismal 
waters,  you  would  say,  'No,  sir!  you  must  join  the  church  or 
you  cannot  commune.'  Why  is  this,  if  you  do  not  require 
something  besides  the  evidences  of  conversion  and  baptism  ? 
Would  it  not  be  more  Christian-like  to  receive  those  whom 
Christ  receives  to  the  real  Communion  ?  For  you  all  unhesi- 
tatingly confess  that  Christ  does  indeed  receive  those,  with 
whom  there  may  be,  in  fact,  informality  in  the  mere  act  of 
profession  ;  if  Christ,  then,  receives  them  to  the  real  substance, 
what  authority  have  you  to  separate  them  from  the  shadow  ? 
'  What  God  hath  cleansed  call  not  thou  common  or  unclean.' 
Would  it  grieve  our  blessed  Master,  that  all,  whom  he  recognizes 
as  those  he  hath  redeemed  by  his  blood  and  engrafted  into  his 
15 


170  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

own  body,  unite  in  showing  forth  his  death  until  he  come  — 
unite  in  celebrating  that  ordinance  by  himself  appointed  to 
symbolize  the  great  ransom  he  has  paid  to  obtain  for  us  so 
glorious  a  hope  ?  Did  he  not  command  a  unity  of  action  here 
among  all  his  true  followers,  when  he  said  '  Take  ye  all  of  it  ? ' 
If  he  found  his  church  thus,  would  he  not  bestow  his  benedic- 
tion and  increase  its  borders  ?  His  prayer  would  then  be,  as  in 
the  days  of  his  sojourn  here  with  his  disciples,  '  Holy  Father, 
I  know  thou  nearest  me  always ;  now  hast  thou  made  them  one ; 
as  thou  Father  art  in  me  and  I  in  thee,  now  have  they  become 
oner  in  us.'  Great  God  ! "  exclaimed  Anna,  in  accents  and  with 
that  earnestness  that  thrilled  the  nerves  of  the  listeners,  for  her 
lofty  enthusiasm  was  stirred  to  its  central  depths,  and  raising 
her  outstretched  arms  toward  heaven,  repeated,  "  Great  God ! 
speed  thou  that  blessed  hour !  Speak  thou  to  the  Christian 
world,  as  thou  didst  of  old  to  thy  people  from  the  burning 
mount.  Let  thy  voice  of  mighty  thunders  rock  the  earth,  that 
thy  people  may  know  that  thou  God  art  a  sovereign  and  dost 
command  them  to  love  one  another,  or  they  are  none  of  thine ! 
0  blessed  Jesus,  exhibit  thou  to  them  the  price  of  their  pur- 
chase !  May  they  see  thine  agony  in  the  garden  when  the 
pressure  of  Almighty  wrath  with  the  sins  of  the  world  bowed 
thee  to  the  dust !  May  they  see  what  thou  hast  suffered  in  thy 
wounded  hands  and  feet  and  bleeding  side  !  May  they  feel 
nature's  conscious  shudder  that  rent  the  rocks  and  veiled  the 
sun,  when  God,  the  Mighty  Maker,  lifted  up  his  voice  and 
cried,  '  'Tis  finished '  —  the  work  is  done  !  0  may  they  then 
remember  how  thou  didst  pray,  '  Holy  Father,  keep  through 
thine  own  name  those  whom  thou  hast  given  to  me,  that  they 
may  be  one  as  we  are  one.'  Great  (Jod,  may  those  who  truly 
love  thee,  seek  to  do  thy  will  by  moulding  the  hearts  of  Chris- 
tians together.  May  those  who  have  taken  upon  themselves 
solemn  vows,  look  to  their  ways,  lest  they  put  their  Master  to 
an  open  shame  in  the  house  of  his  friends,  and  become  a  wall 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  171 

of  separation  over  which  the  unbelieving  shall  stumble  into 
hell !  0  make  thy  people  one,  blessed  Jesus !  that  the  world 
may  believe  that  thou  art  a  lost  world's  Friend  ! " 

Anna  slowly  turned  away,  and  passed  out  to  the  solitude  of 
her  own  chamber.  Others  passed  out,  one  by  one,  and  soon  all 
having  retired,  darkness  and  stillness  reigned  supreme.  The 
stars  watched  out  the  night,  and  the  morrow  dawned.  In  due 
time  came  the  Covenant  meeting,  which  passed  without  un- 
usual incident,  as  no  one  presented  himself  as  a  candidate  for 
church  meinbershij) ;  and  through  it  all  Elder  Clayton  walked 
as  one  in  a  dream.  He  did  what  he  was  expected  to  do,  he 
said  MThat  he  was  expected  to  say,  but  his  heart  was  not  in  it. 
"  A  wall  of  separation  over  which  the  unbelieving  shall  stumble 
into  hell !"  this  was  an  ever-present  thought. 

The  Sabbath  came  with  its  solemn  train  of  ceremonies,  and 
found  him  the  same.  Once  he  started  as  with  a  sudden  pain, 
for  his  eye  fell  on  the  bowed  head  of  an  aged  man  who  had 
just  been  passed  by;  and  he  remembered  how  he  loved  to  hear 
that  man  pray.  "As  ye  have  done  it  unto  the  least  of  these 
my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me."  Was  not  that  the 
voice  of  the  Master  of  the  feast  ? 

The  eye  of  God  was  scanning  the  thoughts  of  this  aged  man. 
He  was  thinking  —  for  twenty  years  I  have  attended  regularly 
the  meetings  of  this  church.  Every  Sabbath  morning  has 
found  me  in  my  seat.  Every  Sabbath  evening  has  witnessed 
to  my  voice  raised  in  exhortation  and  prayer.  For  twenty  years 
of  successive  communion  seasons  have  I  seen  the  bread  broken 
and  wine  poured  out,  solemn  emblems  of  my  suifering,  dying 
Lord,  and  I  have  been  passed  by !  Then  he  thought  how  near 
he  was  to  his  eternal  rest :  his  eyes  were  dim,  his  limbs  were 
tottering;  a  few  more  successive  Sabbaths,  and  —  he  would  no 
longer  be  passed  by — home  at  last,  in  heaven,  he  would  sit  at  a 
table  spread  by  his  Master's  own  hands  ! 

"A  wall  of  separation    over  which  the  unbelieving   shall 


172  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

stumble  into  hell " — thought  Elder  Clayton,  as  he  watched  the 
elements  in  their  round.  He  could  not  help  the  re-occurrence 
of  this  thought,  it  seemed  forced  upon  him.  Strange  he  had 
never  marked  before,  how  many  there  were  in  his  congregation 
of  praying  Christians,  who  were  passed  by. 

Later  in  the  day  there  was  a  stir  around  the  Academy  place. 
This  small  building  was  surmounted  by  a  cupola  in  which  hung 
a  bell,  and  it  was  now  pealing  out  its  notes  of  invitation,  and 
the  inhabitants  were  thronging  in.  "  Who  is  it?  who  is  it?" 
was  asked  by  one  and  another. 

"  I  do'nt  know  his  name,"  replied  Father  Benjamin;  "but 
it  is  an  open  Communionist.  For  twenty  years  have  I  waited 
to  see  this  day,  and  I  have  seen  it,  and  am  glad ! " 

"  Can  we  have  a  Communion  ?  "  This  question  was  asked 
with  eager  earnestness  by  those  who  had  not  enjoyed  the  privi- 
lege for  years,  some  of  them  but  once  or  twice  in  their  whole 
Christian  life.     "  Can  we  have  a  Communion  ?  "  they  repeated. 

"  I  will  see,"  responded  Father  Benjamin ;  and  he  climbed 
the  steps  to  the  speaker's  seat,  and  soon  returned  with  the  joy- 
ful news,  "  We  can  have  a  Communion." 

The  house  was  soon  filled  up,  and  after  the  singing  of  a  hymn 
and  prayer,  the  speaker  arose  and  announced  his  text;  John 
xv.  10-12,  "  If  ye  keep  my  commandments  ye  shall  abide  in 
my  love,  even  as  I  have  kept  my  Father's  commandments  and 
abide  in  his  love.  This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love  one 
another  as  I  have  loved  you."  "Love,"  said  he,  "is  the  ful- 
filling of  the  law.  It  is  the  burden  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Love  to  God  and  love  to  man  is  the  sum  total  of  man's 
duty.  In  our  text  we  are  taught,  first,  that  if  we  keep  the 
commandments  of  our  Master,  we  shall  be  loved  by  him,  even 
as  he  is  loved  by  his  Father  who  sitteth  upon  the  throne  in 
heaven;  and  this  is  the  commandment  we  are  to  keep,  to  love 
one  another  as  he  hath  loved  us."  The  main  drift  of  this  dis- 
course was  to  show  what  it  was  to  abide  in  Christ's  love;  and 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  173 

what  were  the  exhibitions  of  his  love  toward  us.  But  there 
were  a  few  thoughts,  in  the  latter  division  of  the  subject,  show- 
ing how  Christians  should  love  one  another,  that  we  cannot 
pass  over  so  hastily.  "  When  the  full  power  of  Christianity  is 
known,  the  manifestations  of  it  will  appear  in  the  triumph  of 
Christian  love  among  the  followers  of  Jesus,  by  making  the 
peculiarities  of  the  various  Evangelical  denominations  now 
existing,  secondary  to  Christian  union  and  effort.  The  union 
of  Christians  in  spite  of  the  diversity  in  their  forms  and  creeds, 
will  be,  to  the  world,  the  greatest  proof  of  the  divine  origin  of 
Christianity  ever  given  to  man.  And  in  view  of  their  past 
alienations  and  contentions,  that  union  of  fellowship  and  action 
will  appear  the  greatest  instance  of  the  presence  and  power  of 
God  on  earth. 

"  The  preferences  of  different  orders  and  forms  of  worship 
will  then  be  sunk  into  mere  matters  of  taste  and  education,  and 
all  who  hold  to  the  essential  doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  will  show 
the  earnest  of  heaven  in  their  feelings  and  conduct  toward  each 
other.  The  true  church  will  then  appear  to  consist  of  such  as 
the  Father  seeks  to  worship  him,  confined  to  no  sect,  but  repre- 
senting, by  its  diffusion  among  many,  and  at  the  same  time  its 
spiritual  union,  the  society  of  heaven  made  up  of  every  kin- 
dred, and  tongue,  and  people.  Who  does  not  believe  that  such 
a  day  will  come  ?  What  Christian  heart  does  not  leap  at  the 
sound  of  its  coming,  '  as  the  hart  panteth  for  the  water 
brooks'?  Shall  the  morning  of  the  Millennium  break  upon 
the  church,  and  find  the  different  divisions  of  her  hosts  em- 
battled against  each  other  ?  No,  this  can  never  be  !  The  time 
will  come  when  each  denomination  of  Christians  will  freely 
commune  with,  and  love  all  others,  without  requiring  conform- 
ity to  their  own  modes  and  practices,  if  indeed  they  see  ex- 
hibited in  their  lives  and  conduct,  the  Spirit  of  the  true  reli- 
gion. But  the  Spirit  of  Christianity  is  yet  like  a  beautiful 
captive  in  bonds.  Many  sects  in  Christendom  have  laid  their 
15* 


174  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

chains  upon  her,  and  what  wars  and  fightings  have  been  the 
consequence!  Sad  profanation  of  the  Christian  name  and 
Spirit ! 

"  To  Jesus  Christ  and  to  the  angels,  I  know  not  which  is  the 
most  revolting  sight,  the  rites  and  practices  of  heathenism,  or 
the  contentions  of  a  divided  wrangling  Christendom  !  But  her 
day  of  liberty  is  near.  Rising  in  the  view  of  angels  and  men, 
and  holding  forth  her  fallen  chains,  she  will  yet  appear  invested 
with  spiritual  and  celestial  beauty;  and  as  each  invokes  and 
claims  her  as  his  own,  she  will  spread  herself  abroad  in  hea- 
venly light,  and  surveying  the  people  of  the  Lord  under  their 
various  names  and  forms,  will  bless  them  and  cry,  *  Above  all, 
and  through  all,  and  in  you  all  —  the  Lord's  children  —  in  the 
Spirit  of  peace,  and  the  unity  of  purpose ! '  May  the  Lord 
hasten  this  in  his  time.  Spirit  of  Christ  escape  from  our 
chains  !  Let  each  of  us  take  from  off  thy  celestial  form,  what- 
ever sectarian  band  we  may  have  woven  around,  and  bid  thee 
bold  communion  with  all  of  every  name,  who  differ  in  rites  and 
forms  from  us,  but  with  us  hold  to  the  essential  grounds  of  a 
sinner's  hope ! " 

The  sermon  was  ended — or  rather  the  minister  ceased  speak- 
ing. The  sermon  is  not  ended,  nor  will  it  be  till  the  triumph 
of  the  last  day.  Many  hearts  echoed  to  its  teachings,  and  a 
spark  of  Christian  love  was  kindled  there,  that  God  grant,  may 
meet  kindred  sparks  until  the  flame  of  Christian  love  and  unity 
be  kindled  and  spread  over  the  face  of  the  whole  earth. 

Anna  —  for  Anna  was  there  —  felt  like  crying,  as  did  the 
souls  beneath  the  altar,  "  0  Lord,  how  long  !  how  long  I"  And 
Father  Benjamin  bowed  his  head  and  wept.  The  minister,  at 
the  close  of  his  discourse,  broke  the  bread  and  poured  out  the 
wine ;  and  after  referring  to  its  significance  and  use,  said : 
"  My  Christian  friends,  let  angels  look  down  upon  the  scene, 
and  witness  that  Christians  of  every  name  have  gathered  around 
the  table  of  their  suffering,  dying  Lord."     Not  another  word 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTII.  175 

was  spoken.  The  elements  were  silently  passed,  and  every  soul 
was  busy  with  its  own  communings.  Then  they  arose  and  sang 
this  hymn,  and  went  out. 

"  Lord !  I  am  thine,  entirely  thine, 
Purchased  and  saved  by  blood  divine; 
With  full  consent  thine  I  would  be, 
And  own  thy  sovereign  right  to  me. 

Grant  me,  in  mercy,  now,  a  place 
Among  the  children  of  thy  grace, — 
A  wretched  sinner,  lost  to  God, 
But  ransom'd  by  Immanuel's  blood. 

Thee  my  new  Master,  now  I  call, 
And  consecrate  to  thee  my  all ; 
Lord !  let  me  live  and  die  to  thee, 
Be  thine  through  all  eternity." 

"  Have  you  been  to  the  sprinklers'  meeting  ?  "  asked  mother 
Clayton. 

"  I  have/'  Anna  replied. 

"Well,  what  did  they  do  there?" 

"  They  worshipped  God." 

"  No,  I  mean,"  repeated  mother  Clayton,  rather  sharply, 
"  have  they  appointed  any  more  meetings  ?  I  suppose  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Wise  will  stay  here  now,  to  enlighten  the  people,  and  pick 
up  all  the  young  converts.     Was  Mary  Stocher  there  ?  " 

"  She  was." 

"And  Maria  Sherwood?" 

"  Yes,"  answered  Anna. 

"And  Peter  Sims?" 

"  Yes." 

"Why  were  they  not  baptized  to-day?" 

"  I  do  not  know.     I  have  not  spoken  with  either  of  them." 

Mother  Clayton  was  sadly  puzzled  to  account  for  it.  Brother 
Burton  had  felt  it  his  duty  to  look  around  a  little ;  but  mother 


176  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

Clayton  was  too  impatient  to  wait  for  his  return,  so  she  put  on 
her  bonnet,  and  called  over  at  neighbor  Stocher's. 

"Anna!"  called  Elder  Clayton,  opening  the  door  of  his 
study.  Anna  answered  the  call,  and  passed  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible up  the  stairs  and  into  his  room.  "  Anna !  I  have  been 
praying  over  the  matter,  and  I  know  it  an't  right.  I  never 
can  exclude  Christians  of  other  denominations  from  Commu- 


nion asrain  —  never 


"  Thank  God  I"  exclaimed  Anna,  in  the  fervor  of  her  soul. 

"There  is  widow  Giles,"  continued  Elder  Clayton;  "and 
Father  Benjamin,  who  in  my  opinion  stand  better  in  tbe  sight 
of  God,  to-day,  than  I  ever  did,  or  ever  can,  with  all  my  forms 
and  precisions ;  and  to  shut  them  out  from  the  Lord's  table  — 
our  table  we  call  it  —  when  they  cannot  have  access  to  any 
other,  must  be  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God ;  and  if  God 
will  forgive  me  for  what  is  past,  I  never  will  commit  such  a 
crime  again." 

"  Thank  God  !"  repeated  Anna,  her  eyes  filling  with  tears. 
"  My  dear  father,  how  it  gladdens  my  heart  that  you  have  thus 
been  led  to  view  this  matter !  My  prayers  have  truly  been 
answered." 

"  There  is  Mrs.  Briggs,  too,"  he  continued ;  "  she  once  be- 
longed here,  and  was  one  of  our  most  spiritual-minded  mem- 
bers, but  became  dissatisfied  with  Close  Communion,  because  it 
drew  the  line  of  separation  upon  her  pious  father  and  mother, 
under  whose  prayers  and  teachings  she  was  converted;  she 
left  us  and  joined  the  '  Free  Wills/  ten  miles  from  here.  Now 
she  is  one  with  us  in  prayer  meetings  and  conference  meetings, 
and  even  in  our  covenant  meetings;  but  at  Communion  she 
must  stand  aside,  and  yet  we  know  her  to  be  a  baptized  Chris- 
tian. I  baptized  her  myself,  and  she  is  still  a  Baptist.  You 
are  right,  my  dear  child,  we  do  require  something  more  than 
conversion  and  baptism  as  prerequisites  of  Communion." 

"  Yes,  father,"  replied  Anna ;  "  and  still  this  doctrine  cannot 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       177 

be  traced  to  any  definite  principle.  They  say  at  one  time,  '  It 
is  not  close  Communion,  but  close  baptism ;'  yet  they  persist  in 
excluding  those  whom  they  acknowledge  as  baptized  Christians. 
Then  to  cover  up  this  inconsistency,  they  fly  to  the  ground 
'  This  is  a  church  ordinance,  and  none  but  regular  Baptist 
churches  are  churches  of  Christ,  and  have  a  right  to  a  seat  at 
the  Lord's  table.'  Thus  in  their  strait  they  fall  into  the  Papal 
error  respecting  the  outward  visible  Catholic  church  — '  There 
is  no  church  but  the  regular  Baptist  church/ 

"And  yet  it  is  such  a  church  organization  as  to  exclude  the 
great  majority  of  those  who  are  admitted  to  be  genuine  Chris- 
tians— a  church  out  of  which  salvation,  according  to  their  own 
admission,  is  more  abundant  than  within  it !     This  is  a  more 
glaring  inconsistency  than  the  other  !     '  Christ's  errand  was  to 
set  up  a  visible  church,'  says  that  volume  which  you  consider  a 
fair  exposition  of  your  faith.     Christ  came  to  set  up  a  visible 
church,  and  the  regular  Bajn'ist  church  is  the  church  he  set  %ip. 
The  object  to  be  gained  in  the  setting  up  of  a  visible  church, 
was  to  mark  the  outlines  between  the  world  and  the  people  of 
God ;  and  yet  for  some  reason  (not  given  by  our  Nashville 
friend),  our  Savior  made  such  an  unaccountable  blunder  in  the 
arrangement  of  the  matter,  that  after  all  his  labors,  his  suffer- 
ings and  death  —  after  all  his  trouble  of  coming  to  this  sin- 
cursed  world  for  the  express  purpose  of  making  a  division — of 
erecting  a  wall  of  separation  between  the  devil's  kingdom  and 
his  own ;  after  all  this,  still  by  far  the  greater  part  of  his  spi- 
ritual ones,  his  praying  ones,  his  laborers  and  martyrs,  are  on 
the  wrong  side  of  the  line  !     They  are  without  the  pale  of  his 
church  still !     What  kind  of  a  Savior  is  this  the  Baptists  wor- 
ship !  is  he  the  Savior  of  the  Bible  ?    Borne  with  all  her  incon- 
sistencies has  not  one  like  this !      She  claims  that  her  church 
is  Christ's  church,  and  that  his  followers  are  all  in  it,  not  the 
greater  share  of  them  out  of  it.     The  Baptists  say  we  acknow- 
ledge you  are  a  converted  man,  and  belong  to  Christ's  invisible 

M 


178  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

church,  and  will  go  to  heaven  as  well  as  the  best  of  us.  We  even 
acknowledge  that  you  have  been  regularly  baptized,  for  we 
saw  you  dipped ;  but  still  you  can't  approach  the  Lord's  table, 
even  though  he  said,  '  Take  ye  all,  of  it.'  Why  ?  because  we 
are  going  to  force  you  to  go  with  us  or  to  disobey  your  Master  !  " 

"No,  Anna,  not  quite  so  bad  as  that;  they  can  have  com- 
munion among  themselves,  you  know." 

"  But  you  do'nt  recognize  their  Communion  as  Communion. 
You  say  it  is  a  church  ordinance,  and  that  there  is  no  church 
but  the  Baptist  church ;  all  else  are  nothing  but  societies  ac- 
cording to  your  principles,  and  have  no  right  to  Communion. 
If  you  do  not  believe  that  this  is  your  doctrine,  look  in  that 
book,  which  you  call  a  fair  exposition  of  your  faith  :  the  doc- 
trine there  stands  out  on  every  page  devoted  to  this  subject. 
See  also  the  Baptist  Christian  Rev  lea:  for  April,  1858;  there 
it  is  on  the  table.  It  says,  '  Their  churches  are  not  churches, 
but  societies ;  their  ministers  are  not  ministers,  they  are  in  no 
proper  sense  ordained  at  all,  they  have  no  ministerial  character. 
If  you  exchange  with  them  and  invite  them  to  your  pulpit, 
there  is  no  recognition  of  their  clerical  character.  Their  rank 
is  merely  that  of  good  men — not  members  of  churches.'  And 
moreover  the  Reviewer,  whilst  denying  that  '  Pedobaptist  So- 
cieties" are  churches,  and  that  they  have  any  authorized 
ministiy,  and  whilst  pleading  on  this  ground  their  exclusion 
from  Baptist  Communion,  declares  that  they  may  and  ought  to 
commune  among  themselves  !  "  He  forgets  that  the  Communion 
is  a  c  Church  ordinance,  and  confined  exclusively  to  churches;' 
he  forgets  that  he  makes  this,  that  his  church  makes  this  one 
of  their  great  cardinal  principles  and  reasons  of  exclusiveness  ! 
0  consistency,  thou  art,  indeed,  a  jewel ! 

"  They  shift  their  premises  under  a  pressure,  like  the  drifting 
quicksands.  If  a  Pedobaptist  presents  himself,  they  say  it  is 
not  close  Communion,  but  close  baptism  —  You  can't  come,  sir, 
you  have  not  been  baptized  !    When  an  immersionist — one  who 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       179 

lias  been  regularly  and  properly  dipped — presents  himself,  they 
say,  '  0,  it  an't  the  dipping  so  much  that  lies  at  the  bottom  of 
it.  You  can't  come,  sir;  you  do'nt  belong  to  the  church' — ■ 
that's  the  long  and  short  of  it!  But  if  you  stop  to  reason  with 
them,  and  ask  by  what  authority,  by  what  right  do  you  claim 
the  Communion  all  to  yourselves,  and  declare  ours  to  be  a  solemn 
mockery  ?  '  0,  we  won't  be  so  hard-hearted  as  that,'  they 
answer ;  '  you  may  commune  among  yourselves,  if  you've  a 
mind  to.' 

" '  Thank  you,  sir,  for  the  privilege,  but  I  thought  it  was  a 
church  ordinance,  and  that  there  was  no  church  but  the  Baptist 
church!' 

" '  0,  well,  we  had  forgotten  about  that ;  why,  how  you  do 
bother  us  !  But  you  can't  come  with  us,  sir,  it  is  against  our 
principles !  Do'nt  you  know,  sir,  what  our  great  Andrew 
Fuller  said?  Why,  sir,  he  said,  "The  tendency  of  mixed  Com- 
munion is  to  annihilate,  as  such,  all  the  Baptist  churches  in 
Christendom !  Do  you  wish  to  promote  the  dissolution  and 
ruin  of  the  Baptist  denomination  as  such?  If  you  do  not,  take 
heed  to  your  ways."  Is  not  this  a  sufficient  caution  ?  Shall  we 
not  heed  the  warning  coming  from,  not  only  such  a  man  as 
Andrew  Fuller,  but  also  from  all  learned  Baptist  divines  ?  So 
you  see  you  can't  sit  down  with  us,  sir,  at  the  Lord's  table — let 
this  settle  the  matter — and  now,  please  just  let  us  alone  !'  " 

Elder  Clayton  leaned  his  head  upon  his  hand,  and  communed 
with  his  own  thoughts.  "Anna,"  he  said  at  length,  "it  is  true, 
every  word  of  it;  and  I  never  can  do  it  again.  For  twenty 
years  have  I  been  advocating  such  principles,  and  really  I  did 
not  know  what  I  was  advocating." 

"  If  you  should  choose  the  other  alternative,"  continued 
Anna,  "and  admit  that  'Pedobaptist  Societies'  are  churches, 
as  they  claim  to  be,  then,  you  know,  the  Supper  belongs  to 
churches,  and  consequently  they  have  a  legal  right  to  commune, 
as  much  so  as  a  Baptist  church :  and  further,  it  would  be  no 


180  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

more  illegal  for  a  Baptist  to  commune  'with  them,  than  with  any 
Baptist  church  of  which  he  is  not  a  member.  If  they  are 
churches,  they  have  an  equal  right  to  it  wdth  Baptist  churches 
— a  right  to  it  wherever  and  whenever  the  table  is  spread." 

"  You  are  right,  Anna/'  said  Elder  Clayton ;  "  and  hence- 
forth, and  ever  after,  I  must  be  an  open  communionist.  But 
the  baptism  —  I  do'nt  know  but  other  people  have  a  right  to 
their  notions ;  somehow  I  like  to  have  mine,  and  immersion 
suits  me  the  best  of  anything." 

"  Then  stick  to  your  notions,  for  no  one  need  to  complain  as 
long  as  you  grant  others  the  same  privileges  you  claim  for  your- 
self. Answer  for  your  own  notions  to  God,  and  let  others  do 
the  same.  We,  I  mean  those  who  believe  in  Pedobaptism  and 
sprinkling,  find  no  fault  with  Baptists  because  they  prefer  a 
different  form  from  us,  although  we  are  firmly  convinced  that 
our  way  is  the  true  Gospel  way,  as  much  so  as  you  Baptists  can 
be  that  yours  is  the  same.  We  are  willing  to  concede  to  you 
your  right  of  conscience ;  and  all  we  claim  is  the  same  right 
conceded  to  us.  We  have  not  labored  to  convince  you  that 
sprinkling  is  the  Bible  mode  of  baptism  for  the  purpose  of 
hurling  our  anathemas  at  you,  and  of  unchurching  you,  if  you 
are  not  convinced  and  do  not  immediately  conform  to  our  views; 
but  simply  to  convince  you  that  you  are  doing  a  great  wrong  in 
acting  upon  that  principle  toward  us. 

"  Because  you  have  failed  to  convince  us  that  your  way  has 
more  Bible  authority  than  ours,  why  do  you  unchurch  us  ? 
Why  do  you  say,  you  must  go  with  us  and  do  as  we  do,  or  we 
will  not  allow  you  to  he  called,  recognized  or  treated  as  a  church, 
and  as  church  members  ?  Why  do  you  hold  up  your  hands 
with  pious  horror,  and  cry  out  ' impious/  ' sacrilegious,'  'high- 
handed rebellion  against  God,'  just  because  our  ceremonies  are 
different  from  yours?  Would  you  justify  it  in  us,  when  your 
ceremonies  are  different  from  ours,  when  God  recognizes  us  all 
as  his  family,  and  declares  us  to  be  one  hody  with  Christ  Jesus 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  181 

for  the  Great  Head  ?  Jesus  said, '  When  the  Comforter  is  come 
whom  I  will  send  unto  you  from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of 
Truth,  he  shall  testify  of  me.'  Jesus  sends  him  as  a  witness, 
and  you  refuse  his  testimony.  He  says,  These  in  whose  pre- 
sence I  come  to  dwell  are  members  of  Christ's  body,  Jesus  hath 
sent  me  to  bear  witness  of  this  truth  •  but  still  you  Baptists 
say  that  can't  be  possible!  We  think  there  must  be  some  mis- 
take about  that,  because,  you  see,  we  can  prove  quite  conclu- 
sively that  we  Baptists  are  this  Body,  are  his  church,  and  as 
these  others  are  not  Baptists,  therefore  they  can't  be  his 
church ! 

"  0,  how  must  this  appear  in  the  sight  of  God  !  How  dare 
you  thus  give  the  lie  to  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  of  Truth  ! 
May  Cod  forgive  you ! 

"  It  is  as  though  the  youngest  of  many  brothers  should 
become  possessed  of  the  strange  idea  that  he  alone  of  all  the 
brothers  should  bear  his  father's  name  in  the  family.  His 
brothers  would  reason  with  him  thus  — '  Have  we  not  always 
been  acknowledged  by  the  same  parents,  sheltered  by  the  same 
roof,  and  fed  at  the  same  table  ? ' 

"  '  Why,  yes,  to  be  sure  !  We  have,  it  is  true,  been  brought 
up  together,  but  that  do'nt  prove  that  you  also  should  be  called 
by  the  name  of  Smith.  I  tell  you  that  I  alone  am  to  represent 
our  father's  name  to  the  world.' 

" '  But  would  you  drive  us  from  our  father's  house,  and  rob 
us  of  our  heirship  ? ' 

"  '  0,  no,  I  can't  do  any  such  thing  as  that :  I  expect  that  you 
will  live  here  as  long  as  I  do,  and  have  equal  shares  in  the 
estate;  but  you  are  not  a  going  to  be  called  Smith  —  that's 
all ! ' 

" '  But  does  not  our  father  call  us  Smith  ?     He  says,  Ben 
Smith,  Jacob  Smith,  Peter    Smith,   and    he    calls  you  John 
Smith ;  and  is  not  his  recognition  of  us  as  children,  sufficient 
warrant  for  us  to  claim  the  name,  as  well  as  the  estate  ? ' 
16 


182  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  '  No,  sir ;  I  tell  you,  I'm  Smith,  and  you  are  simply  Ben, 
Jacob,  and  Peter!' 

"  Now  this  is  the  way  our  Baptist  friends  argue,  and  this  is 
just  the  position  they  take  in  the  great  Christian  family.  They 
are  ever  contending  for  the  sole  claim  to  the  name  Smith. 
They  do  not  dispute  that  their  brethren  are  lawfully  born 
into  the  kingdom  —  born  of  the  Spirit  —  they  do  not  dispute 
that  they  will  sbare  the  inheritance,  as  equal,  legal  herrs,  with 
themselves,  but  they  sha'nt  be  called  Smith !  There  is  no 
Smith  but  John  Smith  —  there  is  no  church  but  the  Baptist 
church  ! " 

"  Do'nt  say  another  word  about  that,  Anna,  and  I  will  never 
plead  up  churchism  again  so  long  as  I  live.  The  fact  is,  these 
thoughts  are  never  presented  to  the  masses  of  the  Baptist 
church :  if  they  were,  they  would  be  as  repulsive  to  them  as  to 
you.  There  is  not  one  in  fifty  who  believes  that  his  church  is 
the  only  church  recognized  by  God  as  a  gospel  church.  As 
you  say,  they  only  contend  for  the  name.  I  never  believed 
that  there  was  no  church  but  the  Baptist  church,  although  I 
confess  to  my  shame,  that  I  have  talked  it  sometimes,  and  the 
doctrine  is  taught  plainly  enough  in  our  Articles  of  Faith ; 
hand  them  to  me,  Anna.  Here  is  the  article  :  '  A  church  is  a 
body  of  baptized  believers,  etc.,'  and  immediately  after  it  adds  : 
'  Baptism  is  an  immersion  of  the  whole  body  in  water,  etc' 
This  you  see  cuts  off  all  but  those  who  have  been  immersed, 
and  a  part  of  them  are  provided  for  elsewhere." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Anna,  "  that  was  the  first  stone  I  stumbled 
over  that  led  me  to  consider  the  subject." 

The  door  opened,  and  Brother  Burton  and  mother  Clayton 
entered.  Mother  Clayton's  countenance  was  full  of  wrath,  and 
with  her  characteristic  impetuosity,  she  broke  forth  :  "  So  then, 
Miss  Anna,  you've  been  proselyting !  I  thought  the  mischief 
was  in  it !  Let  me  catch  you  at  it  again,  if  j-ou  think  best ! 
Why  could'nt  you  let  Mary  alone,  and  not  get  her  on  the  track 
to  serve  the  devil  too?" 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER    TRUTH.  183 

"I  have  not  sought  her,"  replied  Anna,  "she  sought  me.  I 
did  not  force  my  principles  on  her,  she  drew  them  from  me. 
Do  you  call  that  proselyting  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  do  call  that  proselyting.  Let  me  catch  you  at  it 
again  !     I  won't  have  such  a  hypocrite " 

"  Stop,  mother,"  interrupted  Elder  Clayton ;  "  she  had  a 
right  to  tell  Mary  what  her  principles  were.  Her  mouth  shall 
not  be  muzzled,  so  she  dare  not  and  cannot  open  it." 

Mother  Clayton  gave  her  liege  lord  a  glance  full  of  reproach- 
ful indignation,  and  went  out.  Brother  Burton  seemed  ill  at 
ease.  He  paced  up  and  down  the  room,  and  then  said  that  he 
would  like  a  private  interview  with  Elder  Clayton,  whereupon 
Anna  withdrew  from  the  study,  and  left  them  alone. 

"The  mischief  is  in  it!"  exclaimed  Brother  Burton,  petu- 
lantly. "  Everything  is  going  wrong.  The  truth  is,  Brother 
Clayton,  you  must,  muzzle  the  girl's  mouth,  or  you  might  as 
well  give  up  the  ship.  It  is  just  as  I  told  you,  two-thirds  of 
the  young  people  will  believe  anything  she  tells  them." 

"  Yes ;  Anna's  word  was  always  to  be  depended  upon." 

"  That  meeting  this  afternoon,"  continued  Brother  Burton, 
"  has  had  the  very  worst  influence.  You  should  have  seen  how 
your  church  members  flocked  in  to  hear  him.  And  I've  been 
told  that  Deacon  Sims  and  his  wife  both  partook  of  the  Com- 
munion with  them.  This  matter  must  be  looked  into  imme- 
diately. I  will  go  over  there  with  you  to-night — there's  no 
way  but  to  make  an  example  of  them — cut  them  right  off,  and 
then  I  will  preach  a  sermon  or  two  on  the  subject,  and  see  if  I 
can't  quiet  the  dissatisfaction  that's  creeping  in  around,  pro- 
vided you  take  care  of  the  girl.  You'd  better  send  her  off  at 
once." 

"I  cannot  spare  Anna,"  replied  Elder  Clayton,  "for  she  is 
the  light  of  the  household :  nor  can  I  make  an  example  of 
Deacon  Sims,  for  if  I  had  been  there  I  would  have  done  the 


184  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

"What!"  exclaimed  Elder  Burton. 

"  The  fact  is,  Brother  Burton,  I  am  convinced  that  close 
Communion  is  not  based  on  Gospel  principles ;  and  I  am  deter- 
mined that  I  will  neither  be  confined  to  them  myself,  nor  enforce 
them  upon  others." 

From  Brother  Burton's  eyes  flashed  unutterable  thoughts. 
Surprise  and  indignation,  and  even  contempt,  struggled  for  the 
mastery,  and  for  the  moment  kept  him  silent. 

"  I  shall  go  over  to  Deacon  Sims,"  continued  Elder  Clayton, 
u  not  to  upbraid  and  condemn  him,  but  to  comfort  and  strengthen. 
And  I  hope  to  find  others  in  my  flock,  who  have  enough  of  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  in  them  to  recognize  Christians  as  Christians, 
and  fellowship  them  as  such,  let  them  be  called  by  what  name 
they  will.  And  not  only  recognize  individual  Christians,  but 
recognize  the  churches  which  God  recognizes.  Henceforward 
and  forever,  as  long  as  I  live,"  he  continued,  rising  to  his  feet, 
and  looking  up  as  though  calling  heaven  to  witness,  "  I  will 
never  lay  a  straw  in  the  way  of  Christian  fellowship  and  Com- 
munion—  God's  grace  strengthening  me  —  never,  never." 

"  Then  you  are  fully  determined  ?"  said  Elder  Burton,  through 
his  compressed  lips. 

"  Yes,  I  am  fully  determined  —  nothing  can  shake  me  from 
this  purpose." 

"  Then  you  are  ready  to  give  up  your  pastorate?  You  can 
no  longer  be  considered  a  minister  of  the  church  of  Christ,  if 
you  thus  trample  on  her  most  sacred  institutions." 

"  Certainly,  I  shall  formally  resign  my  charge ;  but  as  God 
called  me  to  preach  his  truth,  I  shall  never  cease  preaching 
until  convinced  that  God  has  no  more  work  for  me  to  do." 

"  0,  yes,  you  can  go  and  join  the  Presbyterians  or  Metho- 
dists, and  no  doubt  they  will  find  a  fat  church  for  you  some- 
where; but  you  must  not  try  to  spread  your  heresy  here,  sir, 
for  I  shall  work  against  you,  sir;  yon  need  not  expect  to  take 
your  church  with  you  to  be  sprinkled." 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  185 

Elder  Clayton  felt  the  old  man  rising  in  his  throat,  but  he 
determinedly  swallowed  him  down  again,  and  replied  :  "  I  have 
no  idea  of  changing  my  principles,  except  on  the  one  subject 
of  Communion.  I  am  henceforth,  properly  speaking,  an  open 
Communion  Baptist.'' 

"Aha!  so  you  think  you  can  compromise  the  matter,  and 
serve  God  and  the  devil  too !  But  I  tell  you,  Mr.  Clayton,  it 
won't  go  down  with  either  of  them.  Of  all  sects,  I  hate  these 
half-hearted,  mealy-mouthed,  loose-principled  Baptists — they're 
neither  one  thing  nor  the  other !  If  the  devil  gets  any,  he'll 
be  sure  to  get  them  first!" 

Elder  Clayton  looked  at  his  Brother  with  surprised  indigna- 
tion. Three  days  ago  he  thought  him  the  embodiment  of  all 
the  Christian  graces  and  virtues,  but  now  how  the  mask  was 
fallen  !  Elder  Burton  was  pale  with  suppressed  anger  —  evi- 
dently there  were  bitter  invectives  seething  in  his  brain  which 
he  dared  not  utter  —  hostile  animosities  springing  up  in  his 
heart  which  he  dared  not  express.  Elder  Clayton  gazed  upon 
his  troubled  and  expressive  countenance  until  indignation  gave 
place  to  pity,  and  he  said  :  "  Elder  Burton,  it  is  useless  for  you 
and  I  to  talk  about  this  matter.  Evidently  our  paths  are  now 
diverging,  and  it  is  better  for  us  to  part.  May  God  grant  that 
your  narrow  sect-bound  principles  be  enlarged  by  the  Spirit 
of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  as  mine  have  been,  so  that  you 
may  no  longer  consider  yourself  your  Master's  keeper  and  dic- 
tator, but  a  servant  among  fellow-servants.  Remember  that 
those  who  consider  themselves  the  least,  are  the  ones  who  are 
the  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Thus  saying,  he 
turned  and  went  out,  leaving  the  indignant  Brother  Burton  to 
his  own  companionship. 

The  next  day  a  tremendous  excitement  swept  through  the 

town  of  A .     Brother  Burton  went  from  house  to  house, 

denouncing  the  heresy  of  Elder  Clayton  and  Deacon  Sims,  and 
rallying  forces  to  crush  them  down.  A  meeting  of  the  church 
16  * 


1S6  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

was  called  at  3  P.  M.,  to  deal  with  the  refractory  members,  and 
also  public  exercises  at  7  P.  M.,  when  it  was  expected  that 
Brother  Burton  would  vindicate  the  peculiarities  of  their  faith, 
and  completely  crush  out  their  opponents. 

While  these  arrangements  were  being  made,  there  was  an 
altogether  different  scene  in  Elder  Clayton's  study.  One  and 
another  of  the  parish  who  sympathized  with  their  pastor,  dropped 
in  to  assure  him  of  this  feeling,  until  a  goodly  number  were 
assembled.  He  told  them  briefly  what  led  him  to  a  change  of 
sentiment,  and  then  said,  "  My  Brethren  and  Sisters  in  Christ 
Jesus,  for  twenty  years  have  I  had  charge  of  this  flock  as  an 
under  shepherd.  I  have  rejoic  d  with  you  when  souls  have 
been  born  into  the  kingdom;  I  wept  with  you  when  the  surges 
of  death  bore  them  from  our  sight  to  be  here  no  more  forever. 
And  now  a  few  hours  hence  and  this  relation  will  be  broken — 
some  other  one  must  fill  my  place,  and  break  the  bread  of  life 
to  you ;  but  I  would  like  one  more  season  of  prayer  before  this 
hour  arrives.     Brothers  and  sisters  let  us  pray." 

The  good  man  kneeled  down,  surrounded  by  his  friends,  and 
poured  out  his  soul  to  God,  craving  his  blessing  on  the  church, 
and  the  dear  precious  souls  kneeling  with  him  at  the  mercy- 
seat.  He  was  always  eloquent  in  prayer;  but  now  the  earnest- 
ness and  depth  of  his  feelings  gave  tenfold  power  and  beauty 
to  his  thoughts  and  expressions.  There  was  a  meekness  and 
pathos  in  them,  too,  that  touched  the  hearts  of  his  listeners, 
moving  them  even  to  tears ;  some  even  sobbed  aloud.  Deacon 
Sims  followed  his  pastor  and  prayed  earnestly  for  God's  blessing 
to  follow  the  brothers  and  sisters  of  the  church  when  he  was 
no  longer  a  member — the  church  with  which  be  bad  walked  for 
so  many  years. 

When  they  arose  from  their  knees  it  was  already  time  for 
church  meeting,  and  they  repaired  directly  to  the  place  ap- 
pointed. The  charge  was  first  brought  against  Deacon  Sims. 
He  was  asked  if  he  had  any  confession  to  make,  otherwise  they 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  187 

would  be  under  the  necessity  of  expelling  him  according  to 
their  rules,  etc.  He  replied  that  what  he  had  done  was  done 
from  a  conviction  of  right — he  had  acted  from  a  sense  of  duty 
to  the  requirements  of  God  and  the  rights  of  his  fellow-Chris- 
tians. He  sincerely  regretted  that  this  must  necessarily  lead 
to  a  separation  of  church  connection,  but  he  chose  rather  to 
suffer  that  than  to  violate  his  conscience.  He  had  no  confession 
to  make.  His  wife  made  a  similar  statement,  and  they  were 
both  cut  off.  Then  every  eye  turned  on  their  pastor.  He  had 
always  presided  over  their  church  meetings  —  not  once  for 
twenty  years  had  he  been  absent ;  but  now  Elder  Burton 
occupied  his  chair,  and  he  sat  on  one  side  as  a  mere  spectator. 
He  did  not  wait  for  action  to  be  taken,  but  arose  and  said,  that 
God  in  his  providence  had  made  it  necessary  for  him  to  resign 
his  pastorate ;  and  although  it  was  like  giving  up  the  one  idol 
of  his  heart,  yet  he  desired  to  be  ever  ready  to  obey  the  voice 
of  God  in  his  soul.  An  honest  change  of  sentiment  would 
render  necessary  also  a  separation  of  church  relations,  yet  he 
hoped  it  would  not  open  a  gulf  between  them  so  deep  that  they 
might  not  meet  in  heaven,  pastor  and  people,  an  unbroken  com- 
pany, there  to  unite  their  voices  in  singing  God's  praises 
throughout  the  endless  ages  of  eternity.  The  old  man  broke 
down  and  wept;  yet  it  was  more  from  joy  at  a  blessed  and  un- 
ending union  in  heaven,  than  grief  at  the  present  parting. 
"  See,"  said  he,  gathering  his  voice  again;  "  see,  my  hair  is 
grey,  my  head  is  becoming  white  for  the  harvest,  I  have  but  a 
remnant  of  days  left  me !  Soon  I  shall  go  to  be  with  my 
blaster,  and  I  will  wait  for  you  there  ! " 

Every  heart  was  touched;  the  old  man,  agitated  and  weeping, 
yet  with  such  a  glorious  light  beaming  from  his  eyes,  seemed 
to  the  imaginations  of  his  listeners  to  be  standing  betwixt  them 
and  the  eternal  world,  with  all  its  untried  and  fearful  realities. 
With  a  bold  hand  he  had  drawn  aside  the  veil,  and  let  in  the 
light  of  heaven,  before  which  human  passions  were  silenced 


188  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

and  rebuked.  That  little  tribunal  seemed  suddenly  summoned 
before  the  bar  of  God,  and,  amid  the  consternation  of  each  in- 
dividual soul,  they  at  once  forgot  who  were  the  accusers  and 
the  accused ;  and  when  their  vote  was  called  for,  many  of  them 
were  silent — there  were  a  few  faltering  yeas,  one  or  two  deter- 
mined noes,  and  all  the  rest  were  bowed  and  weeping;  for  there 
before  them  stood  accused 

Their  "Messenger  of  Truth; 
The  legate  of  the  skies !  —  His  theme  divine, 
His  office  sacred  —  his  credentials  clear. 
By  him  the  violated  law  speaks  out 
Its  thunders ;  and  by  him,  in  strains  as  sweet 
As  angels  use,  the  Gospel  whispers  peace." 

On  the  morrow  Elder  Clayton  was  waited  upon  by  a  com- 
mittee representing  almost  the  entire  body  of  the  church, 
requesting  him  to  preach  to  them  as  in  times  past.  They 
reported  also  concerning  the  meeting  in  the  evening  before  as 
follows :  that  the  house  was  well  filled,  and  Elder  Burton 
preached  one  churckism  plainly  and  undisguisedly,  denouncing 
powring  as  a  relic  of  Judaism ;  sprinkling  as  an  invention  of 
Popedom ;  and  the  baptism  of  infants — by  him  called  derisively 
"baby-sprinkling"  —  as  an  "impious  sacrilege  abhorrent  to 
heaven ;"  and  then  he  rhapsodized  eloquently  on  the  "  mad  men 
of  Minister" — tracing  through  them  and  others  equally  fanatic, 
the  Baptist  church  of  pure  unalloyed  faith,  back  to  the  apostles ! 
This  was  so  unpalatable  to  the  congregation,  so  strange  to  them, 
that  they  concluded  their  sentiments  were  about  as  heretical  on 
these  points  as  their  old  pastor's,  and  that  they  might  as  well 
go  along  in  company.  Hence  the  appointment  of  the  committee 
to  request  him  to  continue  his  ministrations  to  them.  Brother 
Burton  foamed  and  threatened,  but  all  to  no  purpose;  and  so  at 
last  he  gave  in,  and  departed  for  a  more  genial  clime  and  in 
search  of  more  promising  fields. 

George    and    Halley  were    exceedingly  surprised  on   their 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  189 

return,  at  the  unlooked-for  events  which  had  transpired  during 
their  absence. 

"  Is  it  possible,"  said  Halley,  "  that  you  have  opened  your 
amis  to  the  Christian  world?" 

"  It  is  the  Lord's  doing,"  replied  Anna,  "  and  it  is  marvelous 
in  our  eyes." 

"  Yes,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "I  am  determined  henceforth  to 
be  satisfied  with  the  Lord's  seal,  by  which  he  recognizes  and 
approves  those  who  are  acceptable  to  him.  I  am  satisfied  that 
our  distinctions  and  limitations  will  be  of  little  avail  when  the 
Lord  comes  in  his  power  and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him  to 
separate  the  sheep  from  the  goats.  My  chief  concern  shall 
henceforth  be  to  gain  an  assurance  that  I  am  accepted  of  him, 
and  then  as  it  regards  my  fellows  I  will  simply  look  to  see  if  I 
can  discover  the  Lord's  seal,  rather  than  the  badge  of  a  par- 
ticular sect." 

A  fervent  "  Thank  the  Lord,"  was  the  response  from  every 
devout  heart. 

"  Now,"  said  Halley,  "  there  is  a  work  before  you — a  glorious 
work  !  You  say  that  you  desire  union  among  Christians,  and 
that  there  are  Christians  of  four  or  five  different  denominations 
around  you;  now  call  a  union  prayer  meeting,  and  mould  their 
hearts  together.  Let  them  bend  the  knee  at  one  altar,  and  bear 
each  other  up  on  the  wings  of  prayer  before  the  throne  of 
grace,  and  they  will  not  go  thence  to  contend  about  their 
differences.  These  union  prayer  meetings  are  doing  a  work  for 
Christendom  that  nothing  else  could  do  —  they  are  the  power 
of  God  —  the  means  he  uses  to  reconcile  and  to  combine  and 
unite  the  efforts  of  his  children,  his  forces,  so  that  they  may 
present  an  unbroken  front  to  the  enemy.  And  as  the  God  of 
peace  reigneth,  we  may  hope — ay,  well  believe  —  that  the  day 
is  not  far  distant  when  Christians  will  constitute  but  one  body, 
though  perhaps  bearing  different  names  —  one  in  soul,  one  in 
object,  one  in  affections,  one  in  interests,  and  one  in  action. 


190  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

Never  until  then  will  the  power  of  Christianity  he  fully  felt 
upon  the  world — then  before  the  power  of  its  might  the  forces 
of  the  prince  of  darkness  will  vanish  like  the  morning  mist 
before  the  fervid  heat  of  a  summer  day ! 

"  Another  sign  of  its  coming  is  an  increasing  interest  felt 
among  Christians  of  all  denominations  to  understand  the  reason 
of  the  differences  among  their  Christian  brethren;  and  just  in 
proportion  as  they  become  acquainted  with  these  reasons,  re- 
spect for  a  brother's  sincerity,  at  least,  will  break  down  the  pre- 
judices which  now  shut  out  their  hearts  from  each  other. 
Bigotry  or  sectarian  prejudice  is  the  child  of  ignorance.  It  is 
best  to  know  both  sides,  or  all  sides  if  there  are  more  than  two, 
of  a  question.  We  can  then  form  our  opinions,  and  draw  our 
conclusions  intelligently.  We  then  shall  know  why  we  believe 
as  we  do,  and  also  why  our  brother  differs  from  us,  and  how." 

"  That  reminds  me,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "  that  I  have  much 
prejudice  against  the  institution  of  Infant  Baptism  in  your 
church.  It  may  be  the  result  of  education,  for  I  do  not  know 
what  authority  you  claim  for  it ;  I  only  know  that  I  have  often 
heard  it  said,  that  <■  there  was  not  a  single  precept  or  example  in 
the  whole  New  Testament  for  it;  and  I  never  yet  saw  one 
there.  I  think  I  am  not  justified  in  condemning  what  I  know 
so  little  about,  and  I  would  like  to  have  you  point  me  to  the 
evidences  you  deem  sufficient  authority." 

"I  will  do  so  with  the  greatest  pleasure,"  said  Halley ;  "the 
more  pleasure  from  the  conviction  that  you  seek  it  with  an 
he  nest  desire  to  have  the  bitterness  of  that  prejudice  removed. 
And  I  trust  I  shall  be  able  to  convince  you  that  it  is  not  an  in- 
stitution introduced  by  a  Roman  Catholic  Pope ;  but  that  it 
has  the  authority  of  the  word  of  God,  and  is  followed  by  the 
blessing  of  God — that  it  is  consistent  in  and  of  itself  with  the 
nature  of  things — that  I  shall  convince  you  of  this,  not  for  the 
purpose  of  making  you  conform  to  it,  that  I  may  be  able  to  say 
there  is  another  convert  to  the  faith  of  the  Presbyterian  church 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  191 

—  or  to  Pedobaptism  —  but  that  you  may  learn  to  respect  the 
claims  of  your  Presbyterian  brethren,  anil  your  Pedobaptist 
friends." 

"Iain  convinced  on  the  start,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  " that 
our  prejudice  is  too  bitter.  Brother  Burton  said  that  he  would 
flee  forty  miles  into  a  wilderness,  rather  than  witness  such  an 
act  of  sacrilege  as  the  sprinkling  of  an  adult;  and  he  looked 
with  greater  horror,  still,  upon  the  baptism  of  infants.  Now 
if  it  was  equally  repulsive  to  God,  would  he  —  could  he  follow 
churches  in  which  it  is  universally  practised  with  such  signal 
blessings  and  outpourings  of  his  Spirit,  which  is  his  seal  of 
acceptance,  bringing  sinners  into  the  fold  to  have  the  sacrilege 
repeated  ?  If  it  was  a  sacrilege  in  the  eyes  of  God,  God  could 
not  approve  it.  And  if  it  is  not  a  sacrilege  in  the  eyes  of  God, 
what  right  and  what  authority  have  ive  for  calling  it  by  that 
name  ?  " 

"I  have  been  considering  the  subject,"  said  Anna,  "for  a 
few  days  past ;  but  I  have  found  some  difficulties,  and  I  desire 
more  information  regarding  it." 

"To-morrow,"  said  Halley,  "we  will  commence  the  investi- 
gation ;  and  if  you  have  any  friends  who  have  objections  to 
urge,  or  prejudices  to  remove,  let  them,  too,  be  present." 


192  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 


CHAPTER  IX. 


'  How  ■wonderful  is  Death, 
Death  and  his  brother  Sleep ! 
One  pale  as  yonder  waning  moon, 
With  lips  of  lurid  blue ;  — 
The  other,  rosy  as  the  morn 
When  throned  on  ocean's  wave, 
It  blushes  o'er  the  world  ;  — 
Yet  both  so  passing  wonderful!" 


Anna  was  awakened  about  midnight  by  the  message,  "  Little 
Charlie  is  dying."  She  made  a  hasty  toilette,  and  descending 
from  her  chamber,  found  Halley  at  the  door  ready  to  accom- 
pany her  to  the  house  of  her  afflicted  friend.  It  was  a  lovely 
hour.  The  full  harvest  moon  was  midway  in  the  star-gemmed 
vault  of  heaven,  looking  down  upon  this  benighted  world  — 
upon  the  outspread  earth  —  as  benignly  as  though  not  witness- 
ing the  agony  of  a  thousand  fluttering  souls  parting  from  their 
clay  tenements,  and  as  many  broken  and  bleeding  hearts  gazing 
for  the  last  time  upon  the  loved  objects  of  home  circles  pluming 
their  wings  for  a  final  adieu. 

When  they  arrived  at  the  widow's  cottage,  the  little  sufferer 
was  just  breathing  his  last.  A  momentary  glance  of  recog- 
nition, and  he  was  gone.  They  closed  his  eyes;  arranged  his 
limbs  to  stiffen  with  decorum  for  his  long  lonely  grave  sleep; 
comforted  the  widow  —  the  bereaved  and  sorrowing  one;  and 
with  the  moon,  watched  out  the  night. 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  193 

The  morrow  dawned  with  accustomed  brightness  upon  the 
teeming  world,  and  brought  the  quiet  bustle  of  necessary  pre- 
parations for  laying  the  long-hushed  sleeper  in  his  lowly  bed 
of  earth,  and  also  the  visits  of  condolence  from  sympathizing 
friends. 

"  I  do  not  wish  him  back  again,"  said  the  motherless  widow ; 
"  God  in  great  mercy  has  taken  him  from  his  earthly  pains; 
but  the  ties  of  nature  are  broken,  and  I  must  weep." 

Anna  slowly  and  tremulously  repeated  : 

The  God  of  love  will  sure  indulge 
The  flowing  tear,  the  heaving  sigh, 
When  his  own  children  fall  around, — 
Where  tender  friends  and  kindred  die." 

•Just  as  the  sun  was  setting,  a  little  coffin  was  lowered  into  a 
new-made  grave,  over  which  stood  one  lone  mourner.  The 
clods  were  thrown  in,  and  on  another  mortal  was  passed  the 
sentence,  "  Dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return." 
Anna  took  the  widow  home  with  her;  and  again  the  great  life 
surges  bore  them  on  as  unceasingly  as  before :  only  a  bubble 
had  broken  on  the  face  of  the  deep. 

The  next  day,  a  little  company  assembled  in  Elder  Clayton's 
study.  There  were  not  a  few  of  the  friends  around,  who  had 
gathered  here  to  listen  to  the  controversy  that  was  about  to 
open ;  and  among  them,  and  the  most  prominent,  was  Squire 

Tanner,  the  young  attorney  of  the    town    of  A ,  and  a 

member  of  the  Baptist  church.  He  brought  with  him  a 
volume,  wherein  was  an  exposition  of  the  Baptist  faith  on  this 
subject,  for  the  purpose  of  refreshing  his  memory;  and  seemed 
to  look  forward  with  zest  to  the  coming  contest,  as  if  expecting 
an  easy  victory. 

"  We  are  met  here,"  said  Halley,  when  all  were  comfortably 
seated,  "to  examine  the  authority  for  infant  baptism.  You 
know  it  is  an  institution  of  the  Pedobaptist  church,  and  now 
what  objections  do  you  raise  against  it?" 

17  N 


194  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  What  we  want/'  said  Squire  Tanner,  "  is  for  you  to  point 
us  to  an  express  command  or  precept  for  jt.  You  claim  to  get 
your  authority  from  the  word  of  God  :  where  is  it  ?  " 

"  Yes/'  answered  Halley,  "  we  claim  that  it  is  a  divine  insti- 
tution, and  that  there  is  proof,  and  proof  sufficient  to  satisfy 
any  unbiased  mind,  that  it  was  ordered  of  God,  sanctioned  by 
Christ,  practised  by  the  apostles,  by  the  primitive  church,  by 
the  church  at  alHimes,  and  in  all  its  stages  from  its  very  first 
organization  in  the  time  of  Abraham,  down  through  the  lapse 
of  nearly  four  thousand  years  to  the  present  day." 

"  That  is  a  sweeping  assertion,"  said  Tanner  with  a  smile  of 
incredulity ;  "  we  do'nt  require  you  to  prove  so  much.  Only 
put  your  finger  on  a  plain  positive  command  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment to  baptize  infants,  and  we  yield  the  argument  without 
further  controversy." 

"  But  why  do  you  demand  &  positive  command?"  said  Halley. 
"  The  evidences  to  be  adduced  in  support  of  infant  baptism  are 
of  the  same  kind  we  have  for  many  other  institutions  of  the 
church  :  and  I  can  show  you  the  utter  absurdity  of  demanding 
positive  testimony  on  this  subject.  The  testimony  God  has 
given  us  is  inferential  and  circumstantial ;  and  in  our  courts  of 
justice,  as  you  are  very  well  aware,  we  inflict  the  most  severe 
punishments,  and  decide  the  most  important  cases,  on  such 
evidence  as  this.  We  should  be  satisfied  with  satisfactory 
evidence  of  any  kind.  Moral  reasoning  is  not  like  demon- 
strative or  scientific,  for  it  is  not  positive,  but  admits  of  all 
degrees  from  the  slightest  probability  up  to  the  highest  degree 
of  moral  certainy." 

"  Yes,"  interrupted  Anna,  "  and  I  know  also  that  when  the 
mind  is  wrought  up,  and  the  moral  state  is  in  a  favorable  frame, 
it  only  requires  a  small  degree  of  evidence  of  the  right  kind  to 
produce  entire  conviction ;  but  at  other  times  through  different 
habits  of  thought,  and  where  there  are  prejudices  to  overcome, 
the  mind  demands  an  unreasonable  amount  of  proof." 


TIIE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  195 

"  But,"  said  Tanner,  "  everything  relating  to  the  institutions 
of  the  Church  of  Christ,  to  have  any  force  or  obligation  on  us, 
must  be  shown  to  be  commanded  or  practised  by  Christ  and  the 
apostles." 

"  True,"  replied  Halley ;  "  all  positive  religious  rites  were 
originally  founded  on  a  divine  command.  But  we  are  not 
warranted  in  the  conclusion  that  such  a  command  would  be 
repeated  to  all  those  who  shall  afterward  be  under  obligation  to 
observe  such  rites,  or  even  that  the  original  command  will  be 
preserved  and  communicated  to  them  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 
Now  neither  of  these  can  be  claimed  as  essential,  because 
sufficient  proof  of  a  divine  institution  can  be  afforded  in  some 
other  way.  Such  is  the  fact  with  regard  to  many  institutions 
of  the  church  which  are  acknowledged  by  all  evangelical  Chris- 
tians as  divine,  and  harmonizing  with  the  commands  of  Christ, 
and  the  customs  of  the  church  from  its  first  organization.  Has 
any  one  then  a  right  to  prescribe  the  mode  of  establishing  a 
doctrine  from  the  Bible  ?  If  we  can  prove  the  doctrine  of 
infant  baptism,  in  any  way,  from  the  word  of  God,  what  sense 
is  there  in  the  objection,  which  is  the  only  one  you  can  raise  or 
urge,  '  0  yes,  you  have  proved  the  point,  but  it  was  not  done 
according  to  the  rule  we  laid  down/  and  therefore,  however 
plain  and  forcible  it  may  be  made,  you  exclaim,  '  0,  I  can't 
believe  it,  because  you  do'nt  prove  it  just  as  I  said  it  must  be 
proved ! ' " 

"  I  do'nt  believe  in  receiving  anything  but  positive  evidence 
regarding  the  institutions  of  Christ's  church,"  said  Tanner. 
"  He  set  up  his  church  himself,  and  instructed  his  disciples 
carefully  in  the  nature  of  its  laws.  We  would  not  have  known 
that  any  ordinances  would  have  been  proper  and  acceptable  to 
him  unless  they  had  been  either  enjoined  or  practised ;  so  what- 
ever is  connected  with  them,  both  as  regards  the  subjects  or 
mode,  must  receive  the  same  sanction.  And  I  believe  that  to 
depart  in  the  slightest  respect  from  the  manner  in  which  they 


196  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

were  originally  practised,  changes  the  whole  nature  of  the 
institution." 

Anna  smiled,  for  she  remembered  how  this  same  argument 
had  been  handled  before. 

"  I  presume,"  replied  Halley,  "  that  no  one  claims  that  the 
Lord's  Supper  is  administered  precisely  as  it  was  by  Christ  and 
the  apostles,  and  so  of  course  you  regard  it  as  a  nullity  !  If  no 
institution  can  be  binding  upon  Christians  which  is  not  clearly 
denned,  and  if  any  deviation  from  the  original  practice  destroys 
the  whole,  let  me  ask  you,  Squire  Tanner,  why  you  baptize  in 
houses,  in  baptismal  fonts,  and  baptistries  ?  Why  do  you 
demand  a  statement  to  the  church  on  profession  of  faith,  before 
being  baptized  ?  "Where  in  all  the  Xew  Testament  is  there  an 
express  command  or  example  for  these  practices  ?  You  here 
profess  to  believe  in  limiting  to  express  commands,  and  where 
are  they  ?  Point  me  to  them,  or  I  must  declare,  as  an  inevita- 
ble deduction  from  your  own  premises,  both  the  ordinances  of 
the  Baptist  church  to  be  a  nullity.  I  shall  object  to  your  draw- 
ing any  conclusions  from  the  reason,  probability,  decency,  or 
even  necessity  of  the  case  —  you  must  give  me  something 
positive  !  " 

"  I  must  confess  you  have  me  there,"  said  Tanner,  hesita- 
tingly.    "  Really,  I  had  not  thought  of  that." 

"  You  see  then  that  you  cannot  advance  a  single  step  in 
support  of  the  present  customs  in  your  church,"  said  Halley, 
"  without  making  use  of  this  privilege,  and  you  do  make  use 
of  it  on  all  occasions  of  reasoning  in  defence  of  your  own  doc- 
trines ;  but  at  the  same  time  you  are  not  only  unwilling,  but 
utterly  refuse  to  grant  us  this  privilege.  But  I  reply,  limit 
yourselves  before  you  limit  others.  Now  look  at  the  facts 
in  the  case.  The  Lord's  Supper  was  enjoined  originally  upon 
the  Apostles,  men  only,  and  there  is  no  express  intimation  in  the 
whole  Xew  Testament  of  females  having  ever  received  the  ad- 
ministering of  the  rite.     Still  you  believe,  and  we  believe  it  to 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       197 

be  the  will  of  God  that  they  should  partake  of  it,  and  we  admit 
them  on  the  reasonableness  of  the  thing,  and  upon  the  uniform 
practice  of  the  early  Christian  churches.  No  one  thinks  of 
demanding  an  express  command,  not  even  a  precept  or  example, 
as  authority.  13 ut  if  we  are  satisfied  with  such  evidences  in 
this  case,  why  not  permit  them  to  have  some  weight  and  force, 
I  ask,  in  other  cases?  Again,  there  is  no  proof  that  the  divine 
command  for  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  or  the  offering  of 
sacrifices,  was  repeated  to  the  successive  generations  from  Adam 
to  Moses ;  or  that  they  had  any  evidence  of  those  divine  insti- 
tutions being  enjoined  upon  them.  If  they  had,  it  is  not 
recorded  in  the  Bible ;  nor  is  there  certain  proof  of  the 
repetition  of  the  command  respecting  the  rite  of  circumcision 
during  the  period  from  Abraham  to  Moses  —  480  years. 

"  Neither  in  all  the  Bible  can  there  be  found  any  express 
command  or  precept  regarding  the  first  day  of  the  week  as  the 
Sabbath.  Through  all  the  Sacred  records,  nothing  definite 
from  either  Christ  or  the  Apostles  establishing  or  enforcing 
such  an  ordinance,  can  be  found.  Yet  it  is  considered  quite 
satisfactory  to  the  Christian  world,  that  it  is  right,  proper,  and 
acceptable  to  God,  to  observe  the  first  day  of  the  week  as  the 
Christian  Sabbath  —  quite  satisfactory,  even,  to  our  Baptist 
friends.  They,  with  us,  rest  their  faith  on  the  original  insti- 
tution of  the  Sabbath  as  enjoined  in  the  Old  Testament;  and 
to  account  for  the  change,  must  claim  that  the  original  insti- 
tution was  especially  modified  at  the  commencement  of  the 
Christian  dispensation,  although  the  Hebrew  word  f|2J*  (.Shab- 
bafh),  nowhere  indicates  that  such  a  modification  icill  be  made ; 
or  the  Greek  word  odfi^atov  (Sabbatori),  that  one  has  been  made. 
It  is  also  in  this  veiy  same  manner  that  we  receive  many,  and 
perhaps  I  might  say,  all  of  the  books  of  the  New  Testament  as 
having  been  given  by  divine  inspiration.  There  is  no  express 
command  recorded  in  the  Old  Testament,  that  the  Evangelists 
should  write  such  and  such  books  and  letters,  and  that  God 
17* 


198  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

would  in  that  manner  speak  through  them  to  a  perishing  world, 
and  to  all  coming  time ;  still  we  are  satisfied  that  they  are  from 
God,  and  the  inspired  word  of  God,  from  their  internal  evi- 
dences, and  from  the  sanction  of  the  early  Christians.  It  does 
not  seem  to  be  God's  plan  to  give  us  evidences  of  the  highest 
degree  possible,  for  reasons  known  only  to  the  infinite  mind ; 
probably  moral  reasoning  and  probable  evidences  best  subserve 
the  purposes  of  the  moral  training  and  discipline  of  his  crea- 
tures. The  evidences  supporting  many  moral  and  religious 
truths  are  not  as  clear,  direct,  and  definite,  as  one  might  natu- 
rally expect;  but  on  the  contrary,  are  often  inferential,  or  a 
kind  of  intuitive  moral  discernment  —  a  spontaneous  operation 
of  our  faculties,  or  a  slow  result  of  our  experience  and  obser- 
vation ;  and  we  should  be  willing  to  take  just  such  evidences 
as  God  is  pleased  to  afford  us,  and  with  such  to  be  satisfied. 
'  If,'  says  a  well-known  and  candid  writer,  '  any  of  us  should 
undertake  to  prescribe  to  God,  or  to  determine  beforehand  what 
evidence  we  must  have  to  satisfy  our  faith,  and  if  we  should 
reject  everything  which  is  not  attended  with  just  such  evidence 
as  we  might  judge  suitable,  we  should  give  up  some,  if  not  all, 
of  the  most  important  moral  truths ;  and  should  fall  into  a  state 
of  skepticism  most  fearful  in  its  influences  on  our  present  and 
eternal  interests.' " 

"  I  do'nt  see  why  we  need  trouble  ourselves  about  the  hind 
of  evidence,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "if  it  is  only  satisfactory. 
We  want  to  know  simply  what  the  evidences  are  that  you  claim." 

"  Then  we  might  proceed  directly  to  the  consideration  of 
the  evidences,"  said  Halley,  "if  you  have  no  prejudices  or  ob- 
jections against  the  nature  of  the  institution.  But  I  believe 
that  you  have,  and  it  probably  will  be  better  to  consider  them 
first." 

"There  is,"  said  Tanner,  "one  very  important  objection, 
and  to  me  altogether  conclusive.  The  word  of  God  points  out 
very  plainly  and  definitely  what  are  the  necessary  qualifications 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER    TRUTH.  199 

in  a  subject  for  baptism;  and  in  view  of  tbese  prerequisites, 
infants  are  not  proper  subjects." 

"  If  that  be  true/'  responded  Hallcy,  "  it  settles  the  matter 
at  once ;  but  what  are  the  necessary  qualifications  pointed  out 
by  the  word  of  God?" 

"  Faith  in  Cbrist  is  necessary,"  replied  Tanner.  "  In  the 
commission  as  given  by  Mark,  its  terms  are  :  '  He  that  believeth 
and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved.'  Here  faith  is  a  prerequisite ; 
and  further,  none  but  adult  believers  were  baptized  by  John 
and  the  disciples  of  Christ." 

"I  will  take  up  your  last  objection  first,  and  reply  that  toe 
too  believe  in  adult  baptism.  No  one,  who  has  arrived  at  the 
age  when  it  is  possible  to  exercise  faith,  ought  to  be  baptized 
unless  he  is  a  believer.  Therefore  every  one  not  baptized  in 
infancy  in  this  Christian  country,  and  every  one  converted  to 
Christianity  from  the  Jews  or  among  heathen  nations,  is  re- 
quired to  give  a  satisfactory  account  of  his  faith  before  being 
admitted  to  baptism.  When  therefore  we  are  referred  to  in- 
stances of  adult  baptism  recorded  in  the  New  Testament  as  a 
proof  of  the  correctness  of  Baptist  faith,  and  of  the  impropriety 
of  ours,  it  proves  nothing  at  all  in  the  present  controversy.  It 
is  our  practice,  where  the  circumstances  demand  it,  as  much  as 
yours,  to  baptize  adult  believers.  The  primitive  Christians 
were  not,  as  a  matter  of  impossibility,  baptized  in  their  infancy., 
because  the  ordinance,  as  a  Christian  ordinance,  was  not  then 
instituted;  and  therefore  if  baptized  at  all,  it  must  be  when 
adults. 

"  The  case  of  the  heathen  at  the  present  day  is  the  only 
parallel  case ;  and  our  missionaries  baptize  adults,  when  they 
are  converted  to  the  Christian  faith,  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
disciples  of  Christ  baptized  the  first  believers  in  their  time. 
There  is  no  controversy  here,  and  the  only  question  between 
us,  is  whether  infants  of  Christian  parents  are  not  also  entitled 
to  the  same  privilege.    And  now  as  to  the  objection  you  urge — ■ 


200  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

it  is,  I  believe,  that  infants  are  not  capable  of  believing,  and 
therefore  are  not  proper  subjects." 

"  Yes,"  said  Tanner,  "  '  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized 
shall  be  saved.'  They  can't  believe,  and  therefore  should  not 
be  baptized  !     This  is  what  I  call  a  perfect  demonstration." 

"  And  I  will  make  another  from  the  same  text,"  said  Halley. 
"  '  He  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned/  Infants  cannot  be- 
lieve, and  therefore  must  be  damned !  I  call  that  another  per- 
fect demonstration.  Your  reasoning  will  exclude  all  infants 
from  salvation,  for  it  asserts  just  as  positively,  that  he  that  be- 
lieveth not  shall  be  damned,  as,  that  he  that  believeth  and  is 
baptized  shall  be  saved.  If  this  refers  to  infants  at  all,  so  as 
to  cut  them  off  from  baptism,  then  it  also  cuts  them  off  from 
salvation.  We  are,  therefore,  compelled,  in  order  to  avoid  the 
horrid  and  repulsive  doctrine  of  infant  damnation,  to  claim  that 
the  passage  has  no  reference,  at  all,  to  any  but  those  who  are 
capable  of  exercising  faith — it  must  refer  to  adults  only." 

"  I  think  you  will  have  to  give  up  that  passage,  Squire  Tan- 
ner," said  Elder  Clayton,  "  for  it  proves  too  much." 

"  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  I  can  use  it  yet,"  said  Tanner, 
consulting  his  text-book.  "  Believing  stands  before  baptism, 
and  therefore  we  must  believe  before  we  are  baptized.  The 
Bible  says,  believe  and  be  baptized,  but  infants  cannot  believe ; 
the  Bible  says,  repent  and  be  baptized,  but  infants  cannot  re- 
pent, and  therefore  should  not  be  baptized." 

"  Let  us  look  at  that  a  moment,"  said  Halley  ;  "  there  are 
three  things  mentioned  there;  (1)  believing,  (2)  baptizing, 
and  (3)  being  saved.  Now,  you  say  that  the  second  (baptizing), 
ought  not  to  come  before  the  first  (believing) ;  very  well,  then, 
I  will  add,  that  surely  the  third  (being  saved),  ought  not  to 
come  before  the  first;  and  consequently  infants  cannot  be  saved 
because  they  cannot  believe  !  If  then  there  is  any  force  in 
your  reasoning,  if  it  is  proper — if  your  premises  are  true — the 
inference  is  inevitable,  that  infants  cannot  be  saved  because 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  201 

they  cannot  believe.  But  you  dare  not  admit  this  conclusion, 
which  follows  directly  from  your  position  taken,  because  for- 
sooth it  proves  too  much  !  And  however  anxious  you  may  be 
to  keep  infants  from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  church,  I  cannot 
suppose  you  would  try  to  keep  them,  also,  out  of  heaven." 

"The  thought  has  occurred  to  me,"  said  Anna,  "that  the 
largest  proportion  of  the  redeemed  ones  in  heaven  are  infant 
souls." 

"  Yes,  it  has  been  estimated,"  continued  Halley,  "  that  one- 
half  of  all  that  are  born,  die  within  three  years.  Then  how 
many  untold  millions,  and  millions  of  millions,  are  there  of 
infant  souls  in  heaven  to-day?  Is  it  to  be  wondered  at,  that 
Jesus  said,  '  Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God '  ?  If  the  term 
'kingdom  of  God'  means  the  church  on  earth,  as  your  text- 
book asserts,"  he  said,  nodding  toward  Tanner,  who  was  turning 
over  the  leaves  in  search  of  the  next  argument,  "  then  it  fol- 
lows that  infants  have  a  certain  relation  to  the  visible  church ; 
but  if  it  means  the  church  above  —  the  church  triumphant  — 
the  idea  is  that  this  church  is  composed  in  a  great  measure  of 
those  who  die  in  infancy.  In  either  case  there  is  reason  and 
propriety  in  consecrating  them  to  God  in  the  ordinance  of  bap- 
tism ;  thus  laying  them  upon  his  altar,  for  how  can  we  deny 
tlicm  the  seal,  when  Christ  has  declared  them  entitled  to  the  thing 
sealed  ?  You,  as  well  as-  we,  believe  it  to  be  a  part  of  the  plan 
of  redemption  to  apply  the  atonement  and  the  influences  of  the 
Spirit  to  every  infant,  thereby  making  it  meet  for  heaven,  open- 
ing a  way  for  it  into  that  world  which  was  shut  against  it  by 
the  first  transgression ;  so  we  need  not  argue  that  point.  But 
further  than  this,  we  claim,  that  as  baptism  typifies  this  opera- 
tion of  the  Spirit,  and  as  every  infant  in  its  unconscious  state 
is  as  fit  a  subject  for  the  operation  of  the  Spirit's  influences  as 
a  repenting  believing  adult,  that  therefore  they  are  equally  en- 
titled to  the  outward  seal.  If  I  ask  you,  Elder  Clayton,  what 
it  is  that  makes  a  person  a  fit  subject  for  baptism,  you  being  a 


202  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

Baptist,  would  probably  reply,  repentance  and  faith  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  But  why  need  infants  repent?  They  have 
never  rebelled,  they  have  never  transgressed  the  commands  of 
God.  Our  blessed  Savior  wiped  out  all  original  sin  with  his 
own  precious  blood,  and  we  are  to  be  judged  and  condemned 
only  for  our  own  actual  transgressions.  But  infants  have  never 
committed  an  actual  transgression,  they  have  never  rebelled, 
consequently  God  regards  them  in  the  same  light,  as  though 
they  had  been  actual  rebels  who  had  become  repentant,  and  to 
whom  the  blood  of  cleansing  has  been  applied  —  that  is,  the 
same  in  effect. 

"  The  blood  of  cleansing  is  applied  to  both  —  the  infant  and 
the  actual  transgressor  —  in  one  case  wiping  out  inherited  sin 
only,  and  in  the  other,  both  inherited  and  actual  sin.  But  are 
they  not  both  in  the  same  relation  to  God?  Both  are  justified 
by  the  blood  of  Jesus.  Faith  is  not  required  of  infants,  be- 
cause they  cannot  exercise  it,  and  are  saved  without  it.  Now 
look  at  it.  Your  infant  stands  in  the  same  relation  to  God  and 
the  atonement,  that  you  do,  if  you  are  a  Christian.  If  it  dies, 
it  will  just  as  surely  be  carried  by  angels  to  Abraham's  bosom, 
as  will  the  dying  saint.  Then  the  infant  is  as  truly  a  member 
of  Christ's  invisible  church,  as  its  praying  father  or  penitent 
mother ;  and  I  ask  by  whose  authority  do  you  shut  it  out  from 
the  privileges,  advantages  and  blessings,  of  Christ's  visible 
church  ?  When  you  present  yourself  for  admission,  the  only 
claim  you  urge,  or  can  urge,  is  that  you  have  already  been  ad- 
mitted by  Christ  into  his  spiritual  or  invisible  church ;  you 
need  no  other  claim,  you  may  then  demand  admission  as  a  right, 
for  the  visible  church  was  instituted  for  the  purpose  of  gather- 
ing into  its  folds  all  those,  and  those  only,  whom  Christ  had 
received  and  justified;  but  your  infant  is  beforehand  with  you. 
You  have  been  a  rebel  for  years,  and  defied  the  authority  of 
God  over  you;  you  can  only  enter  by  forsaking  your  rebellious 
ways,  and  after  making  humble  confessions,  by  returning  again 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  203 

to  your  allegiance.  Then  Christ  admits  you  at  once  into  his 
spiritual  fold,  but  your  infant  has  been  there  ever  since  it  was 
born ;  and  there  it  will  remain  until  by  actual  transgression  it 
becomes  a  rebel  like  yourself  before  repentance.  Now  if  your 
infant  is  a  member  of  Christ's  invisible  church,  it  has  the  same 
claim  for  admission  to  the  visible  that  you  have — the  only  claim 
that  can  be  urged,  justification  through  the  blood  of  Jesus  — 
and  by  whose  authority  do  you,  then,  dare  to  exclude  it  ?  It- 
is  your  imperative  duty  to  see  that  it  is  thus  consecrated  to 
God,  and  admitted  to  the  pale  and  privileges  of  the  church  of 
Christ." 

"  But  still,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "  there  seems  to  be  some 
difference  after  all,  for  if  the  child  lives  it  almost  invariably 
grows  up  a  rebel  to  God,  and  perhaps  will  not  only  live,  but  die 
a  rebel." 

"  But  this  would  not  be  the  case  if  children  were  early  conse- 
crated, and  parents  were  faithful,  and  discharged  the  duties  in- 
cumbent upon  them  as  parents — as  their  temporal  and  spiritual 
guardians.  And,  further,  a  large  fraction  of  those  admitted, 
on  confession  of  their  faith,  to  the  pale  of  the  church  —  the 
visible  church  —  betray  their  Master  and  wander  back  again 
into  the  world ;  and  many  who  retain  their  church  connection 
will  reap  by  it  a  deeper  condemnation  ;  but  who,  I  ask,  but  the 
scoffing  infidel,  thinks  of  presenting  this  as  an  argument  to 
prove  that  no  one  should  be  received,  and  that  as  a  consequence 
there  should  be  no  church  ?  But  let  us  go  back  to  your  objec- 
tions.    What  have  you  further  to  urge  ?  " 

"  There  is  one  on  the  280th  page  (Theodosia  Ernest,  vol- 
i.),"  said  Tanner  j  "  and  as  it  is  probably  presented  better  than 
I  could  do  it  myself,  I  will  read  it.  It  runs  :  '  It  is  forbidden 
in  the  commission  itself.  The  command  to  baptize  believers  is 
a  command  not  to  baptize  any  but  believers.  The  command  to 
make  disciples  first  and  then  baptize  them,  is  a  command  not 
to  baptize  any  who  are  not  first  made  disciples.'  "What  do  you 
say  to  that?" 


204  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

"  I  reply,"  said  Halley,  "  that  Mark  xvi.  16,  l  He  that  he- 
lieveth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved ;'  and  also  Matthew  xxviii. 
19,  '  Go  ye  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,'  etc.,  have  no  reference  to  any  persons  but  those 
who  are  capable  of  believing,  and  of  being  taught.     It  is  just 
such  a  direction  that  we  would  give  to  a  missionary  going  out 
to  a  heathen  nation,  or  to  the  Jews  at  the  present  day ;  and  he 
would  consider  it  as  forbidding  him  to  baptize  any  adult  per- 
sons   only,  who  had  not  first  been  taught  the  principles  of 
Christianity.     It  has  no  more  reference  to  children  than  the 
direction  of  the  apostle  Paul,  in  2  Thess.  iii.  10 :  'If  any  will 
not  work,  neither  shall  he  eat.'     He  must  here  refer  to  those 
only  who  are  capable  of  working,  for  Paul  was  never  so  incon- 
sistent, so  hard-hearted,  as  to  assert  that  children  (infants),  the 
sick,  and  the  aged,  who  could  not  work,  should  not  eat.     But 
according  to  your  reasoning,  with  regard  to  the  commission  for 
baptism,  he  entirely  and  absolutely  cuts  off  all  those  who  are 
not  capable  of  working,  from  eating  !  Also  when  Paul  addresses 
Timothy  thus,  in  2  Tim.  iv.  13,  '  The  cloak  that  I  left  in  Troas, 
with  Carpus,  when  thou  comest,  bring  with  thee ;  and  the  book, 
but  especially  the  parchment/  he  thereby  utterly  forbids  him 
from  bringing  anything  else  whatever.     Will  you  admit  this 
deduction  also  ?    It  is  a  natural  and  unavoidable  inference  from 
your  mode  of  reasoning,  but  its  fallacy  and  absurdity,  after  a 
little  reflection,  must  be  apparent  to  all.     And  further,  I  may 
add,  that  if  repentance  and  faith  are  necessary  prerequisites  to 
baptism,  then  our  Savior  ought  not  to  have  been  baptized,  for 
he  was  without  sin,  and  therefore  could  not  repent;  nor  could 
he  know  faith  in  that  sense  in  which  it  is  required  of  us. 
Here  is  a  parallel  case  as  far  as  qualifications  for  baptism  are 
concerned.     Jesus  Christ  never  committed  an  actual  sin,  but 
the  sin  of  the  whole  world  was  imputed  to  him.    An  infant  has 
never  committed  an  actual  sin,  but  the  sin  of  the  first  man, 
Adam,  is  imputed  to  it.    There  was  no  exercise  of  faith  in  the 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       205 

mind  of  Jesus  Christ,  because  from  the  nature  of  the  case  it 
was  clearly  impossible.  So  also  there  is  no  exercise  of  faith  in 
the  mind  of  the  child,  because  from  the  nature  of  the  case 
it  is  impossible.  Yet  Jesus  Christ  was  baptized,  and  if  that 
was  right,  it  follows  that  the  argument  of  our  Baptist  friends 
is  wrong.  Now  let  us  follow  up  your  style  of  reasoning  a  little 
further. 

"  Turn  to  Rom.  ii.  25 ;  Paul  says,  '  For  circumcision  verily 
profiteth  if  thou  keep  the  law ; '  but  you  would  say,  an  infant 
cannot  keep  the  law,  and  therefore  an  infant's  circumcision 
cannot  profit  it — it  is  a  mere  nullity.  But  read  the  other  half 
of  the  verse,  '  If  thou  be  a  breaker  of  the  law,  thy  circumcision 
is  made  uncircumcision.'  Xow  apply  your  reasoning  again,  and 
the  deduction  follows — but  an  infant  cannot  be  a  breaker  of  the 
law,  therefore  its  circumcision  cannot  be  made  uncircumcision, 
that  is,  it  cannot  become  a  nullity.  Do'nt  you  see  that  your 
method  of  reasoning  proves  things  as  absurd  as  that  circum- 
cision is  of  great  importance,  and  of  no  importance,  and  that, 
too,  from  the  same  passage  of  Scripture !  Would  it  not  be 
much  more  reasonable  to  conclude  that  Paul's  remarks  applied 
to  those  only  who  were  capable  of  keeping  or  breaking  the  law  ? 
Any  other  conclusion  involves  an  absurdity.  Turn  also  to  Gal. 
v.  3,  where  Paul  says,  '  I  testify  unto  every  man  that  is  circum- 
cised, that  he  is  a  debtor  to  do  the  whole  law.'  Now  you  reason 
of  baptism,  that  whoever  is  baptized  is  a  debtor  to  do  the  law 
of  Christ,  as  Paul  said  of  circumcision  —  the  obligations  are 
equal.  Suppose  the  Jews  to  have  replied  to  Paul,  if  every  one 
who  is  circumcised  is  a  debtor  to  the  whole  law,  what  is  the  use 
of  having  our  little  children  circumcised  ?  they  do'nt  know  any- 
thing about  the  act  itself,  nor  can  they  understand  one  of  the 
obligations  it  imposes  on  them.  It  must  be  not  only  useless, 
but  wicked,  even  sacrilegious,  in  the  sight  of  God !  Would 
not  Paul  have  replied,  If  they  cannot  keep  it,  neither  can  they 
break it>  hence  are  they  justified  before  God;  see  thou  to  it, 
18 


20G  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

that  thou  kecpest  thyself  as  pure  as  the  child.  From  this  view 
of  the  matter  we  may  learn  that  Paul's  directions,  although 
specifying  the  obligations  imposed  by  the. rite  of  circumcision, 
did  not  cut  off  those  who  could  not  understand  those  obliga- 
tions ;  and  no  more  do  the  directions  regarding  the  obligations 
imposed  by  the  rite  of  baptism,  cut  off  those  who  cannot  under- 
stand those  obligations.  Infants  were  circumcised  by  the  com- 
mand of  God,  and  if  by  the  command  of  God  it  7nust  have  been 
right,  and  if  it  was  right,  then  is  the  argument  of  our  Baptist 
friends  wrong  ;  namely,  that  because  infants  cannot  repent  and 
believe,  therefore  they  should  not  be  baptized.  What  becomes 
of  your  assertion,  then,  that  infant  baptism  is  positively  for- 
bidden by  the  commission  itself?  Can  you  find  any  more 
passages  which  positively  forbid  it  ?  " 

"  But  if  we  grant  that  this  is  false  reasoning,"  said  Tanner, 
"  as  I  am  inclined  to  believe  it  is,  even  then  you  have  very 
much  to  do.  That  it  was  not  prohibited  does  not  prove  that  it 
was  enforced." 

"  True,"  replied  Halley,  "  but  that  it  is  not  prohibited  is  very 
good  ground  to  start  upon.  Now  it  may  be  well  to  inquire  on 
how  many  separate  principles  God  has  administered  his  king- 
dom in  this  world.  The  covenant  with  Adam,  when  placed  in 
Eden,  was  one  of  works.  God  said,  Do  thus  and  so  and  you 
are  justified,  thus  and  so  and  you  are  condemned.  The  next 
with  Abraham  was  one  of  GRACE,  through  a  mediator;  has 
there  been  any  more  ?  Do  we  rest  our  hope  on  the  Covenant 
of  Grace?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  Anna  — 

"'Grace  all  the  work  shall  crown 
Through  everlasting  days.' " 

"These,  then,  are  all,"  continued  Halley.  "The  first  cove- 
nant ceased  with  the  fall  of  Adam.  "When  it  was  broken,  all 
men  were  fallen  under  condemnation;  and  yet  God  in  his  infinite 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER     TRUTH.  207 

mercy,  whilst  pronouncing  sentence  on  the  human  race,  gave  a 
beam  of  hope  to  lighten  the  darkness  of  despair  by  intimating 
to  Adam  the  forming  of  a  new  covenant,  to  he  an  everlasting 
covenant,  wherein  should  be  involved  the  work  of  Grace 
through  a  Mediator  and  the  shedding  of  blood.  Abel's  sacri- 
fice, bleeding  upon  the  altar,  looked  forward  to  this  new  cove- 
nant to  be  founded  on  Grace,  and  was  accepted  :  whereas  Cain's 
looked  backward  to  the  old  covenant  of  works,  and  was  there- 
fore rejected.  Now  all  of  Adam's  posterity,  who  have  at  any 
time  come  into  friendship  and  covenant  with  God,  have  effected 
this  through  Grace  in  a  Mediator.  Do  you  concede  this  point, 
Squire  Tanner?" 

"I  do  not  know  how  it  can  consistently  be  denied,"  responded 
the  Squire. 

"  There  is  none  other  name  given  under  heaven  among  men 
whereby  we  can  be  saved,"  repeated  Anna.  "  The  word  of 
God  answers  your  question  :  for  there  is  no  other  way  to  save 
a  soul  but  through  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

"  Then  it  is  conceded,"  continued  Halley,  "  that  since  the 
fall  of  our  first  parents,  God  has  dealt  with  his  people  only  on 
the  principle  of  Grace.  The  church  then  is  built  on  this  prin- 
ciple, was  built  upon  it  at  the  first,  and  is  still  built  on  it.  And 
if  the  Church  was  first  established  on  the  principle  of  Grace, 
and  is  still  abiding  on  it,  is  it  not  the  same  Church  and  the  only 
Church  which  God  has  established  in  the  world  ?  God  has 
never  established  but  one  Church ;  for  only  one  could  be  built 
on  the  same  foundation  (grace),  having  Christ  as  the  chief 
corner-stone.  When  then  did  God  first  establish  a  church  in 
the  world  ?  What  is  a  church  ?  When  we  join  a  church,  God 
covenants  with  us,  and  we  covenant  with  God ;  and  when  did 
God  thus  covenant  with  the  faithful  of  a  fallen  world  ?  You 
will  find  an  account  of  it  in  Gen.  xvii.  7,  God  says :  '  I  will 
establish  my  covenant  between  me  and  thee,  and  thy  seed  after 
thee  in  their  generations  for  an  everlasting  covenant,  to  be  a 


203  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

God  unto  thee  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee.'  Here  are  all  the 
parts  and  parties  of  a  covenant.  God  is  one  of  the  parties,  and 
the  believer  and  his  seed  the  other  part)-.  Here  God  covenants 
on  the  one  part  to  be  a  God  to  the  believer  and  to  his  seed,  and 
on  the  other  part  the  believer  and  his  seed  must  keep  the  cove- 
nant and  must  receive  the  token  or  seal  of  the  covenant.  Here 
is  a  formal  establishment  of  an  everlasting  church  in  the  family 
of  Abraham ;  for  God  declares  the  covenant  everlasting,  and 
the  Church  must  exist  as  long  as  the  covenant.  God  cove- 
nanted with  Abraham,  and  Abraham  covenanted  with  God. 
Just  so  God  covenants  with  us  now,  and  we  covenant  with  God 
when  we  enter  his  Church.  The  token  or  seal  of  this  covenant 
is  recorded  in  Gen.  xvii.  11,  'And  ye  shall  circumcise  the  flesh 
of  your  foreskin  and  it  shall  be  a  token  of  the  covenant  between 
me  and  thee.'  Xow  what  were  the  peculiarities  of  this  covenant 
which  God  established  with  this  Church  ?  We  notice  first,  that 
children  were  here  included  in  the  same  covenant  with  the  be- 
lieving parent,  and  did  receive  the  same  token  or  seal  of  the 
covenant  which  the  believing  parent  received.  This  you  do 
not  pretend  to  deny  ?  " 

"Why  no,"  responded  Tanner,  "we  do'nt  deny  that  it  was 
so  under  the  old  Jewish  dispensation." 

"Well,  then,  secondly,"  resumed  Halley,  "circumcision, 
which  was  appointed  to  be  a  token  or  seal  of  this  covenant,  was 
a  religious  ordinance.  Was  the  keeping  of  the  Passover  and 
the  sprinkling  of  blood  on  that  night  of  death  in  Egypt  a 
religious  ordinance?  If  it  was  not,  then  we  might  question 
whether  there  ever  had  been  a  religious  ordinance  in  the  world 
to  the  people  of  God.  But  if  it  was  one,  then  what  made  it  so  ? 
Manifestly  because  God  had  appointed  it  to  be  a  sign  of  the 
covenant  between  him  and  his  visible  covenant  people.  And 
in  the  same  manner  that  which  makes  circumcision  a  religious 
ordinance,  is  because  God  appointed  it  to  he  a  sign,  token,  or 
seal  of  the  covenant  between  him  and  his  people.  In  its  very 
meaning  as  a  sign,  it  was  a  religious  institution." 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       209 

"  Bat  what  did  it  point  to,  as  a  sign,"  asked  Elder  Clayton. 

"Unquestionably,"  replied  Halley,  "to  the  work  of  God's 
Spirit  and  Grace  on  the  heart.  And  it  was  from  this  very  fact 
called  'a  sign  of  circumcision'  —  that  is,  a  sign  of  the  circum- 
cision of  the  heart.  What  is  the  Scripture  evidence  on  this 
point  ?  '  And  the  Lord  thy  God  will  circumcise  thy  heart  and 
the  heart  of  thy  seed,  to  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart  and  with  all  thy  soul,  that  thou  mayest  live/  Deut.  xxx.  6. 
Also  in  Rom.  ii.  29,  '  Circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart  in  the 
Spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter,  whose  praise  is  not  of  men  but  of 
God.'  As  a  sign,  then,  this  religious  rite  pointed  to  the  cir- 
cumcision of  the  heart,  the  regeneration  of  the  heart,  the 
purifying  or  cleansing  of  the  heart,  that  the  heart  thus  purified 
by  the  Spirit  of  God  through  the  mediation  and  blood  of  Christ, 
might  keep  the  covenant  of  God ;  might  love  and  worship  God 
in  spirit  and  in  truth. 

"This  is  what  the  covenant  with  Abraham  required,  and  this 
is  what  God  now  requires  through  the  Gospel  of  his  Son.  But 
as  a  seal,  how  are  we  to  regard  this  rite  ?  Is  it  not  to  be  re- 
garded as  pointing  to  the  righteousness  of  faith  —  that  right- 
eousness of  faith  in  which  we  believe,  and  through  which  we 
become  justified  ?  Paul  says  of  Abraham,  '  He  received  the 
sign  of  circumcision  as  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  the  faith 
he  had  being  yet  uncircumcised,'  —  faith  in  the  coming  Mes- 
siah and  the  great  sacrifice  and  atonement  to  be  made  for  the 
ransom  of  a  lost  world.  Thus  it  points  to  the  righteousness  of 
Christ  as  sealing  the  compact  on  the  part  of  God,  and  it  points 
also  to  the  faith  by  which  the  believer  lays  hold  on  the  promises 
of  God,  and  this  offer  he  makes  to  fallen  man.  God  proposes 
to  enter  into  covenant  with  man  to  be  his  God  and  the  God  of 
his  seed,  and  requires  man,  if  he  assents,  to  be  circumcised, 
both  he  and  his  seed  :  and  when  man  thus  assents  and  complies, 
the  act  visibly  seals  the  covenant. 

"  From  this,  three  things  are  proved  relating  to  the  Church 
IS*  o 


210  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

which  God  then  established:  (1.)  God  included  the  child  of 
the  believer  in  the  same  covenant  with  the  believing  parent. 
God  said, '  Between  me  and  thee  and  thy  seed  after  thee.'  (2.) 
God  made  to  them  the  same  promise  as  to  their  believing 
parent :  '  I  will  be  a  God  to  thee  and  thy  seed  after  thee.'  (3.) 
God  required  the  same  outward  visible  token  and  seal  of  the 
covenant  established  between  him  and  his  visible,  believing 
people,  to  be  applied  to  the  believing  parent  and  to  his  child  : 
and  this  rite  was  the  one  by  which  all  believers  were  to  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  visible  Church  of  God.  Now  who  has  changed 
this  plan  of  God  ?  What  other  formal  organization  of  a  church 
is  found  in  the  records  of  the  Bible  ?  " 

"  0,  that  was  the  old  Jewish  church,"  said  Tanner.  "  "When 
Christ  came,  he  set  up  a  Gospel  church." 

"  Ah  !  did  he  ?  in  what  respect  does  the  Gospel  church  differ 
from  the  old  Jewish  church  ?  Were  its  principles  changed  ? 
Perhaps  if  you  would  turn  to  the  account  of  its  reorganization, 
you  could  point  out  the  difference." 

"Its  reorganization?"  repeated  Tanner,  slowly;  " where  is 
that?" 

"  I  do  not  know,"  replied  Halley ;  "but  so  important  a  matter 
as  a  reorganization  of  God's  church  ought  to  be  recorded.  I 
have,  it  is  true,  never  been  able  to  find  it ;  but  perhaps  you 
can,  or  at  least  state  the  point  of  difference." 

"  0  yes,  certainly ;  the  Jewish  church  was  made  up  of  a 
numberless  amount  of  forms  and  ceremonies,  all  of  which  are 
done  away.  The  terms  of  membership  are  also  changed  :  then 
the  whole  Jewish  nation  were  members,  but  now  those  only  who 
exercise  faith  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

"  I  have  one  objection  to  make  to  your  theory  of  a  reorgani- 
zation of  the  church,"  said  Halley,  "  God  promised  Abraham 
that  the  church  he  established  with  him  should  be  everlasting, 
and  God  says,  he  can  not  lie,  and  Abraham  evidently  believed 
it  would  be  just  as  God  said.     We  also  read  that  God  is'  un 


T  II  E     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  211 

changeable,  the  same  from  eternity  to  eternity;  in  view  of 
■which,  the  idea  of  his  changing  his  mind  on  this  or  any  other 
matter  —  if  such  a  term  may  be  applied  to  an  immutable  God 
■who  is  a  Spirit  —  involves  a  contradiction  wholly  at  variance 
with  the  whole  character  of  God.  But  granting  that  he  could 
change,  one  might  expect,  in  view  of  the  covenant  —  ay,  with 
Abraham  might  demand,  a  reason  v:liy  ;  and  such  a  record  we 
should  have  in  his  word  —  in  his  revealed  will." 

••  Why,  the  reason  for  it  is  given,"  said  Tanner.  "  The  Jews 
rejected  their  Messiah  —  the  stone  which  was  the  head  of  the 
corner,  they,  the  builders  rejected,  and  Christ  declared, '  There- 
fore say  I  unto  you,  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  be  taken  away 
from  you  and  given  unto  a  nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits 
thereof." 

"  But  that  is  a  transfer  merely,  with  no  changes  implied  in 
that  which  is  thus  transferred.  Nothing  is  added  to  it  or  taken 
from  it.  It  is  merely  taking  from  one  and  giving  to  another. 
You  must  find  something  very  different  from  that  whereon  to 
establish  a  reorganization  of  the  church.  Point  us  to  the  record 
of  the  time  when  the  old  church  ceased  to  exist,  and  a  new 
one  was  established.  Let  us  all  take  this  matter  in  hand,  and 
search  for  scriptural  evidences  of  a  new  church." 

Squire  Tanner  evidently  felt  himself  in  an  unpleasant  posi- 
tion, and  was  industriously  searching  his  text-book  in  hope  of 
finding  something  to  remove  the  difficulty.  After  a  little,  look- 
ing up  with  an  air  of  triumph,  he  said;  "Here  on  page  292, 
is  something  to  the  point.  '  This  church  (the  gospel  church) 
God  set  up  for  the  first  time  when  John  began  to  preach.  For 
the  first  time  he  organized  a  visible  assembly  of  penitent,  be- 
lieving, holy  persons.  There  were  good  men,  pious  devoted  men 
and  women  among  the  Jews;  but  they  were  not  gathered  into 
&  church.  The  Jewish  nation  had  some  religious  privileges; 
but  it  was  not  in  the  Gospel  sense  a  church." 

"  That's  it,"  said  Halley,  "  that's  what  we  are  looking  after. 


212  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

I  was  sure  our  Baptist  friends  could  point  to  the  organization 
of  a  new  church,  with  the  time  and  place  specified.  Squire 
Tanner,  will  you  now  take  the  New  Testament  and  read  to  us 
the  account  given  there  of  its  organization  under  the  super, 
vision  of  John  ?  "We  should  like  to  compare  the  two  state- 
ments." 

Tanner  took  the  Bible,  and  glanced  over  the  record  as  given 
by  the  Evangelists,  and  said ;  "  Why  you  know  John  the  Bap- 
tist preached  repentance  and  faith  in  the  Messiah  who  was  to 
come  after  him ;  and  he  baptized  those  whom  he  considered  re- 
pentant. That  is  unquestionably  a  peculiarity  of  the  gospel 
church." 

"  Is  it ! "  responded  Halley.  "  Let  us  examine  the  subject  a 
moment,  and  see  if  to  preach  repentance  and  faith  in  the 
coming  Messiah,  was  a  peculiarity  of  that  church  John  came  to 
set  up  !  "What  messenger  from  God  did  not  preach  repentance  ? 
Isaiah  preached  it;  he  said,  'Wash  you,  make  you  clean,  put 
away  the  evil  of  your  doings  from  before  mine  eyes ;  cease  to 
do  evil ;  learn  to  do  well;  seek  judgment,  relieve  the  oppressed, 
judge  the  fatherless,  plead  for  the  widow.'  What  Gospel  min- 
ister could  preach  better  repentance  than  that  ?  Jeremiah 
preached  it ;  he  said,  '  Go  and  proclaim  these  words  toward  the 
north,  saying,  Return,  thou  backsliding  Israel,  saith  the  Lord, 
and  I  will  not  cause  mine  anger  to  fall  upon  you,  for  I  am  mer- 
ciful, saith  the  Lord.  Only  acknowledge  thine  iniquity,  that 
thou  hast  trangresscd  against  the  Lord  thy  God.'  Ezekiel 
preached  it ;  for  he  said,  '  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Repent  and 
turn  yourselves  from  your  idols,  and  turn  away  your  faces  from 
all  your  abominations.'  Hosca  preached  it;  for  he  said,  '0 
Israel,  return  unto  the  Lord  thy  God,  for  thou  hast  fallen  by 
thy  iniquity.'  Joel  preached  it  ;  for  he  said,  '  Therefore,  saith 
the  Lord,  Turn  ye  even  unto  me  with  all  your  heart,  and  with 
fasting,  and  with  weeping,  and  with  mourning,  and  rend  your 
hearts  and  not  your  garments.'    Is  not  that  G  ospel  repentance  ?  " 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       213 

"And  is  not  that  the  very  same  church,  which  some  allege  to 
have  been  first  set  up  in  the  time  of  John,  that  existed  in  the 
time  of  Abraham  ?  "  asked  Anna ;  "  for  Paul  says  in  Gal.  iii. 
8-9;  "And  the  Scripture,  foreseeing  that  God  would  justify 
the  heathen  through  faith,  preached  be/ore  the  Gospel  unto 
Abraham,  saying,  In  thee  shall  all  nations  be  blessed.  So  then 
they  which  be  of  faith,  are  blessed  with  faithful  Abraham." 

"Yes,"  continued  Halley,  "the  very  same;  and  so  was  the 
preaching  then  the  same  as  that  since ;  repentance  and  faith  in 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  only  difference  is,  they  looked  for- 
ward to  his  coming,  and  we  backward  to  that  event.  Repent- 
ance was  the  burden  of  all  God's  messengers;  and  John  preached 
it,  simply  because  he  was  one  of  the  number.  But  can  you 
suppose  that  they  imagined  they  were  setting  up  a  new  church 
every  time  they  said  '  repent '  ?  They  also  preached  the  Mes- 
siah that  was  to  come  after  them ;  every  one  of  them  preached 
the  Messiah  as  the  hope  and  salvation  of  Israel.  And  as  for 
John's  Lajjtism,  he  performed  no  new  act ;  it  was  but  the  cere- 
monial purification  of  the  Jews.  It  was  always  practised  when 
any  one  was  converted  from  paganism  —  or  gentile  nation  —  to 
the  true  religion.  This  fact  is  established  on  the  testimony  of 
many  of  the  most  learned  and  accredited  of  the  Jewish  writers. 
They  unanimously  assert,  that  from  the  time  of  Moses,  it  had 
always  been  customary  when  proselytes  were  made,  for  them  to 
be  circumcised,  to  be  baptized,  and  to  offer  an  oblation.  To 
establish  this  also,  we  have  the  unanimous  testimony  of  all  the 
Rabbins,  as  well  as  the  universality  of  the  practice  among  the 
Jews  of  the  2d  century,  when  many  of  the  learned  Jews  wrote. 

"  The  testimony  of  Maimonides,  who  lived  in  the  12th  cen- 
tury, is  very  satisfactory  on  this  subject.  He  says;  'Israel 
was  admitted  into  covenant  by  three  things;  namely,  by  cir- 
cumcision, baptism  and  sacrifice.  Baptism  was  in  the  wilder- 
ness before  the  giving  of  the  laic.'  Again,  'Abundance  of  pro- 
selytes were  made  in  the  days  of  David  and  Solomon  before 


214   '  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

private  men,  and  the  great  sanhedrim  was  full  of  care  ahout 
this  business;  for  they  would  not  cast  them  out  of  the  church 
because  they  were  baptized! 

"  Issure  Biah  wrote,  '  Whensoever  any  heathen,  etc.  will 
take  the  yoke  of  the  law  upon  him,  circumcision,  baptism,  and 
a  voluntary  oblation  are  required.  That  was  a  common  axiom, 
no  man  is  a  proselyte  until  he  be  circumcised  and  baptized.' 

"  The  Babylonish  Talmud  was  compiled  by  the  Babylonish 
Jews  during  the  5th,  Gth,  and  7th  centuries.  The  writers  men- 
tioned therein,  lived  prior  to  that  time  —  some  of  them  many 
years — if  not  several  centuries  before.  Babbi  Simi,  the  son  of 
Chaia,  says :  '  Proselytes  do  not  enter  into  covenant  except  by 
these  three  things,  circumcision,  baptism,  and  peace-offering.' 

"  Babbi  Jochanan  :  '  Never  shall  any  one  be  deemed  a  pro- 
selyte, until  he  is  baptized  as  well  as  circumcised ;  for  before 
he  is  baptized,  he  is  regarded  as  a  foreigner.' 

"  Babbi  Joseph  states :  '  If  any  one  comes,  saying,  I  am  cir- 
cumcised, but  not  baptized,  let  them  see  that  he  is  baptized.' 

"  Babbi  Judah  says  :  '  Baptism  is  the  principal  thing.'  All 
these  are  found  in  the  Babylonish  Talmud,  and  much  more  to 
the  same  effect.  The  same  evidence  is  found  in  the  Jerusalem 
Talmud,  which  was  compiled  in  the  third  century;  only  one 
witness  will  I  cite  from  it. 

"  Babbi  Eliezer,  the  son  of  Jacob,  says  :  '  That  some  Roman 
soldiers,  who  kept  guard  at  Jerusalem,  ate  of  the  passover, 
bcimj  baptized  on  the  evening  of  the  passover.' 

"  Nor  does  the  evidence  of  this  fact  rest  solely  on  the  testi- 
mony of  Jewish  records ;  it  was  known  to  the  heathen  nations 
around  them.  Says  Epictetus,  who  lived  about  the  year  A.  D. 
104,  and  who  was  sixty  years  old  when  he  penned  this  passage 
which  we  quote,  'Why,'  said  he,  in  reproving  those  who  pro- 
fessed to  be  philosophers  while  they  did  not  live  as  such; 
'why  do  you  pretend  to  be  a  Greek,  when  you  are  a  Jew,  a 
Syrian,  an  Egyptian  ?    And  when  we  see  any  one  wavering,  we 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  215 

are  wont  to  saj,  this  is  not  a  Jew  but  acts  one.  But  when  he 
assumes  the  sentiments  of  one  who  hath  been  baptized  and  cvr- 
cumcised,  then  he  both  really  is,  and  is  called  a  Jew.'  In 
Calmet'a  Dictionary,  art.  Pros.,  we  find  this  passage :  "  The 
Jews  require  three  things  to  a  complete  proselyte  —  baptism, 
circumcision,  and  sacrifice ;  but  for  women,  only  baptism  and 
sacrifice.' 

"  Says  Dr.  "Wall,  '  Whenever  Gentiles  were  proselyted  to  the 
Jewish  religion,  they  were  initiated  by  circumcision,  the  offering 
of  a  sacrifice,  and  baptism.  They  were  all  baptized,  males  and 
females,  adults  and  infants.  This  was  their  constant  practice 
from  the  time  of  Moses  to  that  of  our  Savior,  and  from  that 
period  to  the  present  day.' 

u  Those  who  wish  for  further  testimony  will  find  it  by  con- 
sulting Stackhouse,  Witsius,  Dr.  A.  Clarke,  Lightfoot,  Jahn's 
Archaeology,  etc.  etc. 

"  Even  Mr.  Booth,  a  distinguished  Baptist  writer,  admits  of 
Jewish  converts,  that  '  The  children  of  proselytes  were  baptized 
along  with  their  parents.'  K.  Robinson  and  Dr.  Gill  also 
admit  it. 

"  Moreover  this  seems  to  be  a  plain  inference  from  the  Scrip- 
tures— that  is,  that  the  Jews  must  have  been  accustomed  to  the 
rite  of  baptism,  and  expected  the  Messiah,  when  he  came,  to 
practise  it;  or  else  how  can  we  account  for  their  propounding 
to  John  the  question,  '  Why  baptizeth  thou,  then,  if  thou  be 
not  the  Christ  ? ' 

"  From  this,  then,  we  learn  that  the  baptism  of  proselytes  by 
John,  and  by  the  disciples  of  our  Savior,  was  no  new  thing. 
But  Jewish  baptism,  it  is  true,  was  not  Christian  baptism; 
neither  was  the  baptism  of  John  Christian  baptism;  else 
why  were  his  proselytes  baptized  over  again  when  they  became 
proselytes  to  the  Christian  faith,  and  believed  that  Jesus  was 
the  Son  of  God?     See  Acts  xix.  3-5. 

"I  am  aware  that  many  of  our  Baptist  brethren  find  it 
necessary  to  insist  that  there  was  no  re-baptism,  as  that  truth 


216  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

spoils  their  argument :  but  I  only  wonder  that  a  cause  which 
requires  so  plain  a  statement  of  Scripture  to  be  denied,  should 
be  thought  worth  defending.  The  word  of  God  says,  '  Unto 
what  were  ye  baptized?  And  they  said,  Unto  John's  baptism. 
Then  said  Paul,  John  verily  baptized  with  the  baptism  of 
repentance,  saying  unto  the  people  that  they  should  believe  on 
him  who  should  come  after  him,  that  is,  on  Christ  Jesus. 
When  they  heard  this  they  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jems.  And  when  Paul  had  laid  his  hands  on  them,  the 
Holy  Ghost  came  on  them.'  Mr.  Carson,  an  eminent  Baptist 
author,  admits,  p.  372,  that  in  Acts  six.  1-6,  some  who  had 
been  baptized  with  John's  baptism  were  baptized  over  again  : 
'  I  know  this  is  disputed,'  says  he,  '  but  for  my  part  I  never 
doubted  it.  I  cannot  see  how  this  can  be  denied  without 
torturing  the  word  of  God.' 

"  Now  the  reasons  for  this  re-baptism  to  me  are  evident  from 
the  nature  of  the  case.  (1.)  John  baptized  none  but  Jews  — 
his  mission  was  to  call  the  Jews  to  repentance;  and  he  was 
laboring  under  the  ceremonial  law,  therefore  his  baptism  could 
not  be  the  seal  of  any  covenant  at  all ;  and  we  cannot  reason 
from  a  form  that  is  not  a  seal,  to  one  that  is.  (2.)  It  was  im- 
possible for  it  to  have  been  Christian  baptism,  for  the  commis- 
sion was  not  yet  given,  nor  was  the  Lord  Jehovah  revealed  to 
man  as  a  Triune  God  in  the  persons  of  the  Father,  Son  and 
Holy  Ghost.  See  Acts  xix.  2,  John's  disciples  said,  '  We  have 
not  so  much  as  heard  whether  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost.'  If 
they  had  been  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  would 
it  have  been  possible  for  them  to  declare  that  they  had  not  so 
much  as  heard  that  there  be  a  Holy  Ghost  ?  Xor  were  they 
baptized  by  John  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  because  Paul 
was  about  to  have  this  done  to  them.  Xow,  let  me  ask  you,  if 
a  simple  dipping  or  sprinkling  would  be  Christian  baptism  now, 
unless  it  be  done  in  the  name  of  the  Triune  God  ?  And  if  it 
would  not  be  now,  how  could  it  have  been  then  ?     Therefore, 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  217 

in  order  that  they  should  be  partakers  of  Christian  baptism,  it 
was  necessary  that  they  should  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost." 

Tanner  turned  again  to  his  text-book  and  said,  aBut  Christ 
called  the  Jewish  nation  the  world  in  opposition  to  his  church. 
Christ  says,  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the 
world,  that  is,  the  Jewish  nation,  hateth  you.  Paul  said  he  was 
a  persecutor  of  the  church  of  God  before  he  was  converted. 
And  Nicodemus,  who  was  a  master  in  Israel,  was  told  by  Christ 
that  he  could  not  come  into  his  church  until  he  had  been  born 
again.  So  you  see,  Mr.  Halley,  that  there  was  no  church  before 
that  church  was  established  which  Christ  came  to  set  up." 

"  You  say,"  said  Halley,  in  reply,  "  as  I  understand  you,  that 
the  Jewish  nation  could  not  have  been  a  church,  for  Christ 
chose  his  disciples  out  of  the  world.  But  this  expression  of 
our  Savior  only  shows  the  spiritless  condition  into  which  the 
Jews  had  relapsed  on  account  of  their  blind  and  superstitious 
attachment  to  forms.  Christ's  disciples  were  not  like  them 
actuated  by  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  by  the  love  of  God  and 
holiness.  And  Christ,  by  choosing  them  to  be  his  followers, 
separated  them  in  a  particular  manner  from  their  former  asso- 
ciates ;  and  placed  them  really,  not  nominally  only,  under  the 
government  of  his  holy  laws.  No  sensible  man  will  claim  that 
he  who  noio  belongs  to  a  Christian  church,  and  by  his  actions 
and  life  shows  that  be  has  apostatized  from  the  faith  —  leading 
an  ungodly  life  —  no  one  will  claim  that  such  an  one  is  a  true 
member  of  the  church  of  Christ ;  nor  would  he  be  so  called  by 
the  '.  Searcher  of  hearts.'  So  it  was  in  respect  to  the  Jews  in 
the  time  of  Christ,  they  were  but  nominally  the  church  of  God, 
that  is,  the  great  body  of  them,  the  majority;  they  were,  it  is 
true,  his  chosen  people,  but  they  had  become  spiritually  dead, 
and  the  kingdom  was  about  to  be  taken  away  from  them  and 
given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof.  Paul,  after 
his  conversion,  found  that  he  had  been  fighting  against  God's 
19 


218  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

spiritual  ones  who  were  then  truly  the  church  of  God,  for  the 
kingdom  had  then  indeed  been  taken  away  from  the  Jews. 

"  Your  third  objection  regarding  Nicodemus,  is  nothing  to 
the  point  at  all.  Christ  could  not  have  referred  to  the  visible 
church,  by  the  term  'kingdom  of  God/  where  he  says,  'Ye 
must  be  born  again  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,'  for  that 
involves  the  absurdity  that  no  one  could  join  the  visible  church 
unless  really  converted  and  regenerated  by  the  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  which  we  all  know  to  be  false,  and  the  Omnis- 
cient Savior  certainly  knew  it  to  be  so.  There  are  thousands 
in  the  church  to-day,  who  have  entered  it  on  confession  of  their 
faith,  who  were  never  born  of  the  Spirit.  Our  Savior  then 
meant,  ye  must  be  born  again  to  enter  his  spiritual  kingdom  or 
church.  In  that  fold  there  is  not  one  soul  that  has  not  been 
born  of  the  Spirit. 

"  Have  you  any  more  texts,  Squire  Tanner,  to  prove  that 
there  was  no  church  before  the  church  John  set  up  ?  If  you 
have  not,  we  will  see  what  evidence  we  can  find  to  prove  that 
there  teas  a  church  before  the  ministry  of  Christ  or  of  John." 

"  Did  not  Stephen  say  that  there  was  of  old,  in  existence,  a 
church  ?  "  asked  Anna.  "  Here  it  is  in  Acts  vii.  38.  I  will 
read  it :  '  This  is  he  that  was  in  the  church  in  the  wilderness 
with  the  angel  which  spake  to  him  in  Mount  Sinai,  and  with 
our  fathers  who  received  the  lively  oracles  to  give  unto  us.' " 

"Yes,"  replied  Halley;  "Stephen,  being  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  was  giving  them  a  history  of  this  church  ;  and  he  traced 
its  origin  back  to  the  family  of  Abraham,  and  claimed  that 
Jesus  came  by  promise  to  this  church.  Hear  him  :  '  This  is 
that  Moses  that  said  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  A  prophet 
shall  the  Lord  your  God  raise  up  unto  you  of  your  brethren, 
like  unto  me  ;  him  shall  ye  hear.  This  is  he  (Christ)  that  was 
in  the  church  in  the  wilderness,  etc'  Squire  Tanner,  you  like 
positive  testimony,  and  here  is  some  to  order.  Now  we  claim 
that  this  '  church   in  the  wilderness,'  of  which  Stephen  was 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER    TRUTH.  219 

speaking,  whose  lather  was  Abraham — whose  founder,  God — ■ 
and  the  Christian  church,  are  one  and  ihe  same  church  ;  that 
the  Christian  church  is  but  the  continuation  of  the  Jewish 
church  from  the  facts:  (1.)  No  account  is  given  anywhere  in 
the  whole  word  of  God  of  the  organization  of  a  new  one.  (2.) 
The  great  principles  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  church 
are  the  same  —  built  on  Grace  with  Christ  as  the  head  —  the 
same  doctrines,  the  same  spiritual  requirements,  in  short,  the 
same  way  of  salvation.  (3.)  Many  promises  were  made  to  the 
Jewish  church  which  were  not  fulfilled  till  after  the  coming  of 
Christ ;  but  have  since  been  fulfilled  in  whole  or  in  part,  to  the 
Christian  church.  See  the  85th,  43d,  and  53d  chapters  of 
Isaiah,  and  others  —  all  of  which  are  promises  fulfilled  to  the 
Christian  church ;  and  over  and  above  all  this,  there  is  an 
abundance  of  testimony  to  establish  this  fact.  You  have  quoted 
Matt.  xxi.  43,  where  our  Savior  declares  that  the  kingdom  of 
God  shall  be  taken  away  from  the  Jews,  and  given  to  a  nation 
bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof.  To  deny  that  the  Jewish 
people  were  ever  the  church  of  God,  is  to  give  the  lie  to  the 
Son  of  God,  for  this  is  positive  testimony.  If  they  were  never 
in  possession  of  the  kingdom  or  church  of  God,  how  could  it 
be  taken  from  them  ?  If  we  —  if  the  Christian  world  are  in 
possession  of  anything  to-day,  that  is  conferred  on  us  by  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  is  what  was  taken  away  from  the 
Jews  and  given  to  us  ? 

"  Now  what  was  entrusted  to  the  keeping  of  the  Jewish 
church?  Let  Paul  answer  in  Rom.  iii.  2,  'Unto  them  were 
committed  the  oracles  of  God.'  They  are  now  committed  unto 
us.  Again  in  Romans  ix.  4,  '  To  whom  pertaincth  the  adop- 
tion, and  the  glory,  and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the 
law,  and  the  service  of  God,  and  the  promise.'  Can  we  put 
forth  better  claims  than  these  ?  Turn  also  to  Romans  xi. 
23-24,  and  you  will  find  the  same  truth  taught.  The  idea  is 
expressed  in  a  metaphor.     The  visible  church  is  represented  as 


220  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

an  olive-tree,  of  which  the  Jews  were  the  natural  branches, 
hut  broken  off  on  account  of  unbelief;  and  the  Gentiles,  who 
had  been  hitherto  wild  by  nature,  icere  to  be  grafted  in  their 
stead.  No  new  creation  here,  or  reorganization  —  mark  the 
fact,  —  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  which  represents  the  church 
proper,  is  not  uprooted  —  not  cut  down.  The  church  is  the 
same  with  its  covenants  and  privileges;  but  its  branches  or 
members  were  lopped  off,  and  others  grafted  into  the  same  cove- 
nant and  privileges  in  their  stead.  Said  Paul,  '  And  they  also 
(that  is,  those  who  were  broken  off — the  Jews  as  a  nation),  if 
they  abide  not  still  in  unbelief,  shall  be  grafted  in  again ;  for 
God  is  able  to  graft  them  in  again.  For  if  thou  wert  cut  out 
of  the  olive-tree,  which  is  wild  by  nature,  and  wert  grafted  in 
contrary  to  nature,  into  a  good  olive-tree,  how  much  more  shall 
they,  which  are  the  natural  branches,  be  grafted  into  their  OWN 
olive-tree!'  Tell  me,  Elder  Clayton,  and  you  who  are  familiar 
with  the  process  of  engrafting,  is  the  trunk  torn  up,  and  the 
roots  exhumed  and  thrown  away,  when  the  scion  is  grafted  in 
among  the  natural  branches,  and  with  them  partakes  of  its 
root  and  fatness  ?  Said  Paul, '  Boast  not  against  the  branches, 
but  if  thou  boast,  thou  bearest  not  the  root,  but  the  root  thee.' 

"  Now,  is  it  not  here  asserted  most  positively,  that  the  old  trunk 
— the  Abrahamic  church — is  not  thrown  aside ;  but  rather  that 
the  Christian  church  draws  its  support  from  the  original  and 
still  living  root — the  covenant  of  promise — that  everlasting  cove- 
nant made  with  the  father  of  the  faithful,  upon  which  was 
founded  the  first  church  ever  organized,  the  only  church  ever 
organized,  and  where  now  rests,  and  has  ever  rested,  and  will 
ever  abide,  the  only  church  now  extant,  whose  founder  and 
builder  is  God  ?  It  is  this  which  secures  to  us  Christ,  which 
secures  to  us  all  the  mercy  and  blessings  God  has  ever  cove- 
nanted to  bestow.  The  voice  of  God  pealing  as  from  Mount 
Sinai,  with  tones  as  distinct  as  those  which  shall  call  the  world 
to  judgment,  could  not  make  this  matter  more  plain  ! 


THE     INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  221 

"  The  word  of  God  plainly  declares  that  there  never  was  a 
time  when  one  church  ceased  to  exist,  and  another  one  com- 
menced an  existence.  Can  it  be,  then,  that  the  children  of  the 
Gentile  believer,  who  is  ingrafted  into  the  same  church,  and 
with  some  of  its  old  members,  shares  the  privileges  of  its  root 
— its  covenant  and  promise — can  it  be  that  they  (these  children 
of  promise)  are  excluded  from  all  these  advantages,  without 
one  word  having  been  said  to  that  effect  ?  Is  there  now  to  be- 
lievers no  covenant  embracing  their  children,  no  token  or  seal 
of  that  covenant  of  God  with  them,  to  be  applied  to  their  chil- 
dren ?  Could  anything  short  of  an  edict  from  Jehovah  him- 
self, cut  off  one  of  the  parties  of  that  covenant,  and  declare 
them  not  entitled  to  its  privileges  ?  We  acknowledge  no  other 
authority,  we  dare  not  recognize  any  other;  but  if  you  will 
point  us  to  the  '  Thus  saitii  the  Lord'  for  your  position  and 
your  faith,  then  we  will  bow  reverently,  and  obey.  But  so  far 
from  your  being  able  to  do  that,  we  have  the  '  Thus  saith 
the  Lord'  all  on  our  side,  perpetuating  and  eternizing  these 
blessings  and  privileges  to  the  children  of  the  believer  through 
his  everlasting  covenant  and  promise. 

"  If  you  could  prove,  Squire  Tanner,  that  children  are  ex- 
cluded from  the  care  and  privileges  of  the  church  of  Gcd,  as 
you  are  trying  to  do,  there  would  be  a  higher  wall  of  partition 
between  the  Gentile  and  Jewish  nation — or  church  if  you  prefer 
that  term — than  ever  existed  under  the  old  dispensation.  But 
Paul  says  in  Eph.  ii.  14,  that  Christ  broke  down  the  middle 
wall  of  partition  which  separated  the  Jews  and  Gentiles ;  '  For 
he  is  our  peace  who  hath  made  both  one,  and  hath  broken  down 
the  middle  wall  of  partition  between  us.'  This  was  very  for- 
cible, coming  as  it  did  from  a  Jew,  and  addressed  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  what  do  you  suppose  they  understood  by  it  ?  What 
could  they  understand  by  it,  but  that  Christ  had  made  both 
Jews  and  Gentiles  one  church — one  people.  He  removed  the 
wall  of  partition,  and  the  Gentiles  were  brought  in  and  made 
19* 


222  A  N  N  A    C  L  A  Y  T  0  X  J     OR, 

one  with  its  members.  The  Gentile  believers  were  added  to 
the  Jewish  believers,  the  branches  not  broken  off,  because  there 
were  many  Jews  who  believed  on  Jesus  Christ,  or  the  language 
of  the  Apostle  is  the  merest  nonsense ! " 

Tanner  opened  his  text-book  (Tiieodosia  Ernest,  vol.  i.), 
page  291,  and  read  :  "  The  truth  is  simply  this ;  God  made  a 
covenant  or  agreement  with  Abraham,  when  he  was  ninety-nine 
years  old,  in  which  he  promised  to  his  seed  the  land  of  Canaan. 
The  token  or  memento  of  this  contract,  was  the  circumcision  of 
every  male.  This  was  the  condition  of  their  entering  Canaan. 
This  is  now  the  condition  of  their  restoration  to  it.  The  pro- 
mise still  stands.  The  Jews  are  still  a  separate  people.  This 
is  their  mark.  By  this  they  are  yet  to  claim  their  inheritance 
This  is  their  object,  and  this  the  sum  of  its  value." 

"  Then  I  must  reply,"  said  Halley,  "  that  God  is  not  a  cove- 
nant-keeping God ;  for  through  their  whole  history  the  Jews 
have  rigidly,  even  super stitiousty,  adhered  to  the  rite  of  circum- 
cision, so  that  there  has  been  no  failure  on  their  part  in  this 
contract,  if  your  author  has  stated  it  truly.  Why  then,  I  ask, 
are  they  not  in  possession  of  the  land  of  Canaan  to-day  ?  Why 
have  they  not  ever  been  in  permanent  possession  of  it  ? 

"  Why  have  they  been  turned  out  of  that  land  again  and 
again  for  this,  that,  and  the  other  reason,  if  God,  as  you  affirm, 
covenanted  to  give  it  to  them  for  an  inheritance,  if  they  would 
simply  perform  this  act  —  the  act  of  circumcision?  Can  you 
tell  me  ?  Is  that  the  way  God  deals  with  man — with  his  intel- 
ligent creatures  ?  Such  violations  of  covenanted  and  plighted 
promises  would  disgrace  the  most  absolute  tyranny  on  earth  ! 
Is  this  the  character  of  that  God  whom  the  Baptists  worship? 
What  an  object  for  Jehovah  to  enter  into  covenant  with  a 
nation,  requiring  them  to  wear  a  national  badge,  for  fear  He, 
the  Searcher  of  hearts  and  the  discerner  of  our  most  secret 
thoughts,  might  not  know  them ;  and  as  a  compensation  pro- 
mises them  a  spot  of  earth  for  a  dwelling-place  !   Is  not  this  an 


TIIE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  223 

impeachment  of  the  character  of  God  ?  What  saith  the  Scrip- 
tures? 'Circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart  in  the  spirit  and 
not  in  the  letter/  or  outward  act.  How  does  that  harmonize 
with  jour  author's  assertion  of  its  nature — of  its  complete  sum 
and  value  as  a  mere  national  badge? 

"  If  he  had  heen  a  Jew  he  would  have  heen  of  that  class 
who  make  broad  their  phylacteries,  and  enlarge  the  borders  of 
their  garments,  thinking  that  thereby  they  meet  the  require- 
ments of  God )  for  he  seems  to  have  the  greatest  difficulty  in 
perceiving  the  spiritual  import  of  anything.  He  directly  con- 
tradicts the  testimony  of  Paul,  for  Paul  says,  '  Circumcision  is 
a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith;'  but  your  author,  Mr. 
Graves,  says,  '  No,  Paul,  you  are  mistaken  •  that  an't  true ;  cir- 
cumcision is  merely  the  seal  of  a  worldly  inheritance!7  But 
says  Paul  again,  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  who  were  heirs 
with  him  of  the  same  promise,  when  commanded  to  go  out  into 
a  place  which  they  should  receive  for  an  inheritance,  went,  not 
knowing  whither,  and  by  faith  sojourned  in  the  land  of  promise, 
looking  for  a  city  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God.  '  These  all 
died  in  faith,  not  having  received  the  promises  (although  they 
dwelt  in  the  promised  land  —  in  the  land  of  Canaan),  but  con- 
fessed that  they  were  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth.  For 
they  that  say  such  things  declare  plainly  that  they  seek  a 
country.  But  now  they  desire  a  better  country,  that  is,  a 
heavenly ;  wherefore  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God  : 
for  he  hath  prepared  for  them  a  city.'  And  further,  do'nt  you 
remember  how  God  covenanted  '  to  be  their  God,'  and  now  he 
'  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called  their  God,'  for  by  the  eye  of  faith 
they  discerned  the  land  of  promise,  even  the  heavenly,  and  that 
'  city  which  hath  foundations  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God.' ' 

"  But  our  brother  Baptist  replies,  Why  you  are  altogether 
mistaken,  Paul !  It  is  absolutely  necessary  that  we  differ  from 
you  on  that  subject,  for  that  promise  and  covenant  had  nothing 
to  do  with  that  better  country,  that  is,  a  heavenly,'  nor  with  that 


224  ANNA     CLAYTON;      OR, 

Jerusalem  which  is  above,  'whose  builder  and  maker  is  God;' 
it  was  only  the  land  of  Canaan  they  were  talking  and  covenant- 
ing about.  God  told  Abraham  if  he  would  go  and  sojourn  in 
that  strange  land  he  would  give  it  to  him,  and  to  his  seed  after 
him,  if  he  would  circumcise  every  male  child.  It  was  a  sort 
of  legal  contract  by  which  he  and  his  heirs  were  to  claim  an 
inheritance,  and  circumcision  is  the  token,  memento  or  seal  of 
that  contract.  This  is  its  object,  and  this  is  the  sum  of  its 
value. 

"  But,  says  Paul,  this  is  not  the  sum  of  its  value.  The  most 
precious  promise  in  that  covenant  was, ;  I  will  be  a  God  to  thee 
and  to  thy  seed  after  thee/  and  '  If  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye 
Abraham's  seal  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise'  —  see  Gal. 
iii.  29.  Heirs  of  what?  Of  the  earthly  Canaan?  nay,  but  the 
heavenly.  Think  you  that  God  made  a  covenant  of  worlcs, 
saying,  Circumcise  your  male  offspring,  and  I  will  give  you  this 
land  of  Canaan  for  an  inheritance  ?  I  tell  you,  nay.  They  did 
not  inherit  the  promise  in  this  world,  but  lived  hj faith,  'that 
it  might  be  by  grace ;  to  the  end  that  the  promise  might  be  sure 
to  all  the  seed ;  not  to  that  only  which  is  of  the  law,  but  to 
that  also  which  is  of  the  faith  of  Abraham,  who  is  the  father 
of  ms  all,  as  it  is  written,  I  have  made  thee  a  father  of  many 
nations,'  (Rom.  iv.  16,  17).  Here  Paul  quotes  a  part  of  this 
covenant  (see  Gen.  xvii.  5)  for  fear  it  might  be  understood  to 
refer  to  some  other  promise,  and  this  puts  the  matter  beyond 
question  or  cavil,  that  he  is  speaking  of  the  promise  in  the  cove- 
nant with  Abraham,  of  which  circumcision  is  the  seal,  the 
original  seal,  and  which  promise  and  covenant  are  inherited  by 
the  Gentiles  as  well  as  by  the  Jews,  so  that  Abraham  is  the 
father  of  us  all,  and  thereby  the  word  of  God  is  literally  fulfilled, 
'A  father  of  many  nations  have  I  made  thee/  (Gen.  xvii.  5). 

"  And  Paul  further  remarks,  I  recognise  this  promise,  '  I 
will  be  a  God  to  thee/  as  involving  the  most  precious  blessings 
of  the  Gospel  of  Christ :  '  Ye  arc  the  temple  of  the  living 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  225 

God;  as  God  hath  said,  I  will  dwell  in  them  and  walk  in  them, 
and  J  irill  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  he  my  people"  (see 
2  Cor.  vi.  1G),  that  is,  their  God  as  he  is  not  the  God  of  other 
men,  and  they  his  people,  as  other  men  are  not  his  people. 
Also  see  Heb.  viii.  10,  '  This  is  the  covenant  that  I  will  make 
with  the  house  of  Israel  after  those  days,  saith  the  Lord;  I  will 
put  my  laws  into  their  mind  and  write  them  in  their  hearts ; 
and  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a  people.' " 

"  But  were  there  not  temporal  blessings  included  in  that 
covenant  ?  "  asked  Anna. 

"  Yes,  very  many,"  continued  Halley ;  "  as  their  title  and 
possession  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  their  prominence  among  the 
nations  around  them,  their  success  against  their  enemies,  and  in 
fact  all  their  worldly  advantages  and  privileges.  But  all  these 
were  subordinate  —  were  really  only  appendages  to  the  great 
spiritual  benefits  flowing  from  these  connections  to  the  obedient 
in  heart,  not  the  letter  only.  Just  so  it  is  under  the  Gospel 
dispensation :  all  necessary  temporal  blessings  are  promised 
unto  believers ;  for  Christ  said,  '  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of 
God  and  his  righteousness,  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added 
iinto  you?  Also  '  Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things,  having 
the  promise  of  the  life  that  note  is,  as  well  as  of  that  which  is 
to  come.'  Thus  it  follows  that  the  religion  of  the  Jews  was  as 
truly  spiritual  when  lived  out  according  to  the  requirements  of 
the  law  of  God,  and  was  essentially  the  same  as  that  of  the 
Christian  world  now.  The  difference  was  only  in  the  form  of 
worship,  and  not  in  the  worship  itself.  God  exhibited  to  them 
the  same  character  as  to  us,  and  recpuired  the  same  character 
and  life  of  his  people  under  the  old  dispensation  as  under  the 
new.  If  any  one  doubts  this,  he  had  better  search  the  Scrip- 
tures and  see  if  he  can  find  better  Gospel  piety  than  that  of 
Enoch,  Abraham,  Elijah,  Samuel,  David,  and  a  host  of  others; 
and  then  point  out,  if  he  can,  the  difference  between  this  and 
the  other. 

P 


226  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

Again,  the  same  demands  are  made  of  the  Jews  and  the 
followers  of  Christ.  See  Deut.  vi.  5,  '  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all 
thy  might/  See  Matt.  xxii.  31,  'Jesus  said  unto  them,  Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all 
thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.' 

"  See  also  Lev.  xx.  7,  '  Sanctify  yourselves,  therefore,  and  he 
ye  holy,  for  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God.'  Compare  with  this,  1 
Peter  i.  15-16,  '  But  as  he  which  hath  called  you  is  holy,  so  he 
ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation ;  because  it  is  written,  Be 
ye  holy;  for  I  am  holy.' 

"  Now  I  think  we  have  shown,  that  so  far  as  the  Israelites 
kept  the  covenant  God  made  with  them  through  Abraham,  just 
so  far  it  was  the  source  (and  circumcision  was  the  seal)  of  great 
spiritual  blessings  to  all  parties  included  in  the  covenant." 

"  I  have  been  taught,"  said  Anna,  "  that  all  Jewish  rites  and 
ceremonies  found  a  natural  end  and  death  in  Christ.  What  is 
there  to  support  this  idea  ?  " 

"We  are  taught,"  replied  Halley,  "that  all  rites  and  cere- 
monies that  typified  Christ  found  in  him  a  natural  end,  and  why 
should  they  not  ?  Turn  to  Gal.  od  chapter,  a  part  of  which 
you  referred  to  a  short  time  since,  and  you  will  find  the  whole 
matter  set  forth  very  plainly.  The  Apostle  makes  a  distinction 
between  the  Mosaic  ritual  and  God's  covenant  with  Abraham. 
He  says,  speaking  of  this  ritual  and  the  Mosaic  law,  '  The  law 
was  added  because  of  transgression.'  He  teaches  that  the 
Mosaic  economy  was  earthly  and  changeable;  but  God's  cove- 
nant with  Abraham,  spiritual  and  unalterable,  securing  all  the 
blessings  that  the  believer  in  Christ  is  entitled  to.  You  must 
bear  in  mind,  also,  that  this  covenant  was  established  four  hun- 
dred years  previous  to  the  law;  and  if  the  giving  of  the  law  did 
not  annul I  the  covenant,  certainly  the  covenant  ivould  not  be  an~ 
ntdlid  by  the  removing  of  the  laic,  by  the  abrogation  of  the 
Mosaic  ritual.     And  this  is  the  very  thing  concerning  which 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  227 

Paul  was  arguing,  and  which  the  Holy  Ghost  teaches  through 
his  arguments ;  that  is,  that  the  covenant,  and  its  blessings  and 
privileges  remain,  although  the  law  is  done  away;  and  that  this 
covenant,  with  its  requirements  and  attendant  blessings,  comes 
upon  the  Gentiles  through  Jesus  Christ.  The  Mosaic  economy 
was  not  the  church,  but  only  the  drapery  of  it.  The  state  was 
intended  as  a  shield  and  protection  to  the  church,  and  when  it 
passed  away,  the  church  was  still  as  complete  as  when  it  first 
came  from  the  hands  of  God." 

"  Is  it  not  true,"  asked  Anna,  "  that  God,  in  his  moral  go- 
vernment, has  closely  connected  the  interests  of  parents  and 
children  in  whatever  they  receive,  whether  blessings  or  curses  ?  " 

"Certainly;  and  no  one  will  deny  this,"  replied  Halley; 
"  who  believes  that  through  one  man's  transgression,  fell  the 
whole  race  of  man  —  that  through  Adam's  sin  all  his  posterity 
have  become  sinners.  We  are  suffering  to-day  in  consequence 
of  Adam's  disobedience;  we  are  continually  prone  to  sin,  and 
subject  to  disease,  pain,  sorrow,  and  death.  God  recognized 
and  confirmed  this  principle  of  action  in  his  moral  government 
when  he  established  his  church  upon  earth ;  '  I  will  be  a  God 
unto  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  after  thee.'  It  is  also  recognized  in 
all  his  dealings  with  his  people  as  recorded  in  his  word ;  saith 
Jehovah,  '  I  will  visit  the  iniquities  of  the  fathers  upon  their 
children,  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generations;  and  show 
mercy  unto  thousands  (of  generations)  of  them  that  love  me 
and  keep  my  commandments'  (Ex.  xx.  5-6). 

"  Again  he  says :  '  They  are  the  seed  of  the  blessed  of  the 
Lord  (Isa.  lxv.  23),  and  their  offspring  with  them.'  It  mattered 
not  whether  mercies  or  judgments  fell  upon  the  race  of  men, 
their  children  were  equally  partakers  of  the  same.  And  how 
is  it  now?  Look  out  upon  society;  see  what  wretchedness  and 
misery  the  drunkard  entails  upon  his  family,  upon  his  children, 
and  even  upon  his  children's  children ;  see  what  moral  evils 
the  godless  and  openly  vicious  man  brings  upon  his  little  ones, 


228  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

when  they  go  forth  to  meet  and  to  take  upon  themselves  the 
responsibilities  of  life  !  Witness  on  the  other  hand  the  bless- 
ings, temporal  and  spiritual,  physical  and  moral,  flowing  from 
proper  training  and  culture,  where  the  parent  faithfully  dis- 
charges his  duty  both  to  his  child  and  to  his  God.  '  Train  up  a 
child  in  the  way  he  should  go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will  not 
depart  from  it  —  train  them  up  in  the  fear  and  admonition  of 
the  Lord;'  these  are  inspired  teachings,  and  when  fully  com- 
plied with,  are  invariably  accompanied  with  manifold  blessings." 

"  Did  not  Christ  recognize  the  same  principle,  when  he  said 
to  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  as  recorded  in  Matt.  23d  chapter; 
'  Ye  are  the  children  of  them  that  killed  the  prophets ;  fill  ye 
up  the  measure  of  your  fathers,  that  upon  you  may  come  all  the 
righteous  blood  shed  upon  the  earth  from  the  blood  of  righteous 
Abel,  unto  the  blood  of  Zacharias,  whom  ye  slew  between  the 
temple  and  the  altar;  verily  I  say  unto  you,  all  these  things 
shall  be  required  of  this  generation.'  Is  not  the  same  prin- 
ciple here  inculcated?"  asked  Anna. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Halley ;  "  and  this  prophecy  of  our  Savior, 
and  the  curse  denounced  upon  that  generation  of  unbelievers, 
met  with  a  most  terrible  fulfillment  and  realization  at  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem  shortly  after  (A.D.  70).  Most  truly 
did  Jesus  exclaim  :  '  For  there  shall  be  great  tribulation,  such 
as  was  not  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  time,  no, 
nor  ever  shall  be'  (Matt,  sxiii.  21).  The  city  was  leveled  to 
the  dust;  mothers  were  forced  by  famine  to  eat  their  own  chil- 
dren ;  and  by  pestilence  and  by  sword,  at  Jerusalem  and 
through  Judea,  not  less  than  three  millions  of  Jews  were  swept 
off  as  by  the  scourge  of  God.  There  was  truly  woe,  woe,  to 
Jerusalem  ! 

"  Now  by  a  little  reflection  j'ou  will  perceive,  that  we  have 
shown,  (1)  that  all  of  Adam's  posterity,  who  have  at  any  time 
come  into  covenant  with  God,  have  effected  this  through  grace 
in  a  Mediator :  for  '  There  is  none  other  name,  given  under 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  229 

heaven  among  men,  whereby  we  can  be  saved.'  And  if  God 
has  dealt  with  his  people  only  on  this  principle,  since  they 
failed  in  works ;  then  the  church  was  built  on  this  at  the  first, 
and  is  still  built  on  it.  (2.)  God's  church,  the  only  church  he 
has  ever  established  on  earth,  built  on  the  principle  of  grace, 
with  Christ  as  its  head  (John  viii.  50),  and  faith  as  its  ground 
of  justification  (Gal.  iii.  8),  requiring  supreme  love  to  God 
(Deut.  vi.  5),  and  holiness  of  life  (Lev.  xx.  7),  was  established 
in  the  family  of  Abraham  (Gen.  xvii.  7).  (3.)  God  made  the 
covenant  of  this  church,  and  fixed  its  terms  of  membership; 
and  no  one  can  deny  that  he  included  the  children  of  the  be- 
liever in  the  same  covenant  with  the  believing  parent :  '  I  will 
establish  my  covenant  with  thee,  and  thy  seed  after  thee;'  and 
God  has  never  since  then  repealed  it,  or  any  part  of  it. 

"Also  by  his  command,  they  were,  both  parent  and  child,  to 
have  administered  to  them  the  same  outward  visible  rite,  which 
was  the  token  or  sign  of  this  covenant;  and  which  Paul  de- 
clares '  the  seal,'  not  of  a  worldly  inheritance  —  a  mere  spot  of 
earth  for  a  dwelling-place,  but  the  '  seal  of  the  righteousness  of 
faith  f  and  by  God's  plan  and  express  command,  this  seal  of 
faith  was  placed  upon  those  who  could  not  exercise  faith.  AVho 
has  changed  the  decrees  and  plans  of  God  ?  God  himself  made 
this  covenant,  and  declared  it  to  be  everlasting;  he  also  fixed 
its  terms  and  conditions.  He  alone  had  a  right  to  determine 
who  are  entitled  to  its  privileges  and  promises ;  and  he  has  de- 
termined it,  and  declared  it.  He  alone  can  abrogate  it.  He 
alone  can  change  it,  or  its  terms,  its  tokens,  or  anything  apper- 
taining thereto.  We  grant  no  such  right  to  you,  our  Baptist 
friends,  unless  you  show  your  commission  from  the  Most  High 
God !  Point  us  to  a  command  in  the  entire  word  of  God  se- 
parating parent  and  child.  Point  us  to  a  command  forbidding 
the  consecration  of  children  to  God;  and  that  consecration  to 
be  effected  by  placing  on  them  the  seal  of  God's  everlasting 
covenant.  If  you  cannot  do  this — and  you  know  you  cannot — 
20 


230  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

why  do  you  undertake  to  change  God's  terms,  privileges  and 
requirements,  without  his  authority  ?  Why  put  forth  your  puny 
arm  to  make  void  the  commandments  of  God  ? 

"Now  the  onus probandi  falls  on  you.  We  have  shown  how 
God  organized  his  church;  we  have  shown  whom  he  includes 
in  the  covenant,  and  to  whom,  according  to  his  express  com- 
mand, the  seal  should  he  administered ;  and  now  if  he  has  ever 
revoked  this,  it  devolves  on  you  to  show  where.  Will  you 
make  the  effort — it  will  prove  a  fruitless  effort !  There  will  be 
but  one  response  to  all  your  labor,  and  that  will  be  but  the  echo 
of  your  own  question  I  Through  the  dim  vista  of  the  past  you 
will  hear  but  an  empty  sound — a  lone  echo,  looking  back  through 
four  thousand  years,  which  will  answer  where  to  your  every 
inquiry  !  It  cannot  be  found  in  the  Bible  —  you  search  there 
in  vain.  Throughout  the  entire  word  of  God  there  is  no  an- 
nulling, revoking,  or  repealing  of  this  covenant.  Will  you 
then  resort  to  tradition,  and  to  the  history  of  the  church  ?  We 
are  willing  to  follow  you  there ;  for  we  can  confront  you  with 
unquestionable  and  abundant  testimony,  showing  that  from  the 
time  of  the  Apostles  this  covenant  has  been  in  force,  and  In- 
fant Baptism  recognized  and  practised." 

As  Halley  paused,  there  followed  a  silence  of  some  moments, 
during  which  each  was  busy  with  his  own  thoughts. 

"God  covenanted  with  Abraham,"  thought  Anna;  "God 
covenanted  with  him  and  his  seed,  to  be  their  God  and  they 
should  be  his  people.  Paul  says  :  '  If  ye  are  Christ's,  ye  are 
Abraham' s  seed  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise.'  Then  if  I 
have  hope  in  Christ  to-day,  I  am  Abraham's  seed.  God's  om- 
niscient eye  was  on  me  when  he  made  that  covenant,  and  I  was 
included  in  its  terms,  and  through  it  I  am  heir  of  the  promise, 
that  the  God  of  Abraham  should  be  my  God.  Arerily  God,  the 
Lord,  is  one  God,  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever ;  from 
eternity  to  eternity  an  unchangeable  God." 

Tanner's    thoughts    were    surging   differently.      He   was   a 


tup:  inquirer  after  truth.     231 

worldly-minded  Christian ;  the  representative  of  a  large  class, 
who  think  it  well  enough  to  serve  self  six  days,  and  God  one. 
He  was  chagrined  at  the  failure  of  his  argument,  and  was  seek- 
ing earnestly  after  some  quibble,  peculiar  to  his  profession, 
whereby  he  might  turn  the  tables  in  his  own  favor. 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  the  first  to  break  the 
silence,  "  that  this  being  the  case,  it  would  have  been  taught 
more  plainly  in  the  New  Testament." 

"  There  is  scarcely  a  truth  more  plainly  taught  in  the  New 
Testament  than  this,"  replied  Halley.  "  But  what  matters  it 
tchere,  in  what  part  of  Cod's  word,  a  truth  is  taught  ?  Is  not 
the  whole  Bible  the  word  of  God,  and  one  part  of  it  as  true 
and  infallible  as  another?  A  truth,  whether  found  in  Genesis 
or  Revelations,  is  truth  nevertheless,  and  God's  truth,  and  woe 
be  to  him  who  taketh  therefrom  or  addeth  thereto !  We  have, 
as  yet,  by  no  means  exhausted  this  subject;  but  as  it  is  grow- 
ing somewhat  late,  and  some  of  you  perhaps  are  already  wearied, 
we  had  better  adjourn  till  to-morrow,  when  we  will,  if  you 
please,  meet  here  and  resume  the  investigation ;  and  in  the 
mean  time  let  each  of  us  'search  the  Scriptures,'  and  see  what 
testimony  we  can  individually  find  and  bring  forward.  But  it 
seems  to  me,  no  more  is  needed  to  carry  conviction  to  an  un- 
prejudiced mind.  Let  us  glance  back  and  take  a  hasty  survey 
of  the  ground  we  have  already  been  over;  and  for  your  satis- 
faction, Elder  Clayton,  we  will  confine  ourselves  entirely  to  New 
Testament  testimony.  Paul  says  (Gal.  iii.  16)  :  '  Now  to  Abra- 
ham and  to  his  seed  were  the  promises  made.'  And  you  ask 
does  this  promise  reach  to  the  Gentiles  ?  Was  not  that  the  end 
of  the  promise  and  the  covenant  ?  Paul  replies,  Nay,  but  Christ 
hath  redeemed  us,  '  That  the  blessing  of  Abraham  might  come 
on  the  Gentiles  through  Jesus  Christ'  (Gal.  iii.  14).  But  you 
ask  what  is  this  blessing  and  this  promise  to  Abraham  and  to 
his  seed  ?  Let  me  also  ask  why  these  blessings  and  promises  are 
not  said  to  be  to  the  children  of  Enoch,  who  walked  with  God, 


232  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

or  of  Noah,  of  Elijah,  of  Moses,  or  of  David,  the  man  after 
God's  own  heart?  All  these  had  faith  and  were  justified  by 
faith;  and  if  simply  to  be  justified  by  faith,  be  the  reason  we 
are  '  Abraham's  seed,'  can  any  one  tell  why  we  might  not  as 
well  be  called  the  seed  of  Enoch  or  of  David  ? 

"  The  answer  plainly  is  that  it  has  reference  to  something 
more  than  this — to  something  that  v:as  established  in  the  family 
of  Abraham,  something  confirmed  to  Abraham,  something  that 
is  transmitted  from  Abraham,  and  this  something  was  promised 
to  Abraham  and  to  his  seed  in  an  everlasting  covenant,  and  this 
covenant  had  reference  not  only  to  all  his  posterity  down  to  the 
time  of  our  Savior,  and  thence  down  to  our  time;  but  looks 
onward  to  all  the  generations  yet  to  come,  before  the  church 
militant,  then  established  and  confirmed  in  the  family  of  Abra- 
ham, shall  become  the  church  triumphant  in  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

"Paul  further  says:  l  If  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abra- 
ham's seed  and  heirs  according  to  the  promise*  (Gal.  iii.  29). 
We  inherit  something:  something  is  transmitted.  Again  (Gal. 
iii.  8),  '  The  Scriptures  foreseeing  that  God  would  justify  the 
heathen  through  faith,  preached  before  the  Gospel  unto 
Abraham.' 

"  The  Gospel  was  therefore  preached  unto  Abraham  before 
it  was  preached  to  the  Gentile,  and  Abraham  believed  :  that 
faith  of  his  must  then  have  been  a  Gospel  faith,  and  he  was 
justified  before  God  through  Christ.  Our  Savior  says  (John  viii. 
56),  '  Your  father  Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  my  day.  and  he  saw 
it  and  was  glad.' 

"  God  established  this  covenant  and  declared  it  an  '  everlast- 
ing covenant.'  He  established  it  on  the  principle  of  Grace 
through  faith  in  our  common  Mediator  and  Redeemer,  and  con- 
sequently it  must  have  been  a  Gospel  con  mint  and  a  promise 
confirmed  in  Christ.  Would  Christ  then  annul  it  ?  '  Think 
not/  says  he  in  Matt.  v.  17  and  is,  '  that  I  am  come  to  destroy 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  233 

the  law,  or  the  prophets  :  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfill. 
For  verily  I  say  unto  you,  Till  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  jot 
or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  "wise  pass  from  the  law,  till  all  be 
fulfilled.' 

"And  do  you  ask,  was  not  the  ceremonial  law  so  blended 
with  the  covenant,  that  when  that  was  abrogated,  on  its  end 
being  accomplished,  the  covenant  was  made  void  also  ?  Let 
Paul  answer:  'x\nd  this  I  say  (Gal.  iii.  17),  That  the  cove- 
nant that  was  confirmed  be/ore  of  God  in  Christ;  the  law,  which 
was  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  after,  cannot  disannul,  that 
it  should  make  the  promise  of  none  effect.' 

"  This  is  definite,  and  should  be  satisfactory.  But  you  ask 
again,  Did  not  Christ,  when  he  fulfilled  the  law,  make  an  end 
of  these  old  promises  also,  which  were  made  to  the  fathers  ? 

"Let  Paul  answer  again:  Romans  xv.  8,  'Xow  I  say  that 
Jesus  Christ  was  a  minister  of  the  circumcision  for  the  truth 
of  God,  to  confirm  the  promises  made  unto  the  fathers.' 

"  Then  we  have  proved  from  the  New  Testament,  that  this 
covenant  and  promise  has  not  passed  away,  that  it  has  not  been 
disannulled,  but  has  been  confirmed  in  Christ  Jesus.  This 
harmonizes  with  the  declaration  of  Jehovah  himself  when  it 
was  made ;  that  it  was  to  be  an  everlasting  covenant.  We 
have  as  yet  brought  forward  only  a  part  of  the  testimony  in 
the  New  Testament  on  this  subject;  but  who  will  contradict  or 
gainsay  what  has  already  been  adduced  ?  Dare  you  affirm 
without  a  shadow  of  evidence  from  God's  word,  that  one  of  the 
parties  in  this  covenant  confirmed  by  our  Savior,  has  been 
thrown  out,  and  consecpiently  deny  the  seal  to  that  party  ?  Let 
those  who  would  do  this,  pause  and  reflect,  lest  they  be  guilty 
of  fighting  against  God  !     Guilty  of  forger?/  on  God's  word  !  " 

"Forgery!  that  is  a  serious  charge,"  said  Elder  Clayton. 
"  I'm  sure  we  design  doing  no  such  thing." 

"  Yet,  you  nevertheless  do  it,"  continued  Halley,  "  if  you 
throw  the  children  of  believers  out  of  this  covenant,  and  deny 
20* 


234:  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

them  the  seal.  You  commit  nothing  less  than  forgery  on  this 
contract  which  God  made  with  his  people.  I  will  convict  you 
from  the  mouth  of  your  own  authority,  Squire  Tanner,  the 
author  you  are  so  fond  of  quoting.  Remember  God  fixed  the 
terms  of  this  covenant,  pronounced  it  to  be  everlasting,  and 
then  affixed  the  seal.  Says  Mr.  J.  R.  Graves  (see  The  Great 
Iron  Wheel,  p.  442)  :  'Let  us  look  into  the  nature  of  sealing. 
When  the  seal  of  state  or  of  an  individual  is  affixed  to  a  docu- 
ment, that  document  must  forever  remain  in  the  letter  and  spirit 
in  which  it  existed  when  sealed.  To  enter  a  new  clause  or  to 
change  a  line  of  an  old  one  would  be  FORGERY.'  And  now  I 
ask  you,  Squire  Tanner,  if  3Ir.  Graves  is  not  convicted  of  for- 
gery by  the  testimony  of  his  own  mouth  ?  Is  he  not  a  forger 
in  the  sight  of  God  ?  Has  he  not,  in  that  volume  you  have 
been  perusing,  changed  mort  than  one  line,  not  only  in  God's 
word,  but  also  in  God's  everlasting  covenant,  to  which  He  had 
affixed  His  seal?" 


CHAPTER  X. 


"  What  is  written  in  the  law?    How  readest  thou  ?  " — Luke  x.  2G. 
"It  is  one  thing  to  read  the  Bible  through, 
And  another  to  read  to  learn  and  do ; 
It  is  one  thing  to  read  it  with  delight, 
And  quite  another  to  read  it  right. 
Some  read  it  as  their  duty  once  a  week, 
But  no  instruction  from  the  Bible  seek ; 
Whilst  others  read  it  with  but  little  care, 
With  no  regard  to  how  they  read,  nor  where ! 
Some  read  it  as  a  history,  to  know 
How  people  lived  three  thousand  years  ago. 
Some  read  to  bring  themselves  into  repute, 
By  showing  others  how  they  can  dispute; 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  235 

Whilst  others  read  because  their  neighbors  do, 

To  see  how  long  'twill  take  to  read  it  through. 

Some  read  it  for  the  wonders  that  are  there, 

How  David  kill'd  a  lion  and  a  bear; 

"Whilst  others  read,   or  rather  in  it  look, 

Because,  perhaps,  they  have  no  other  book. 

Some  read  the  blessed  Book,  they  do'nt  know  why, 

It  somehow  happens  in  the  way  to  lie ; 

Whilst  others  read  it  with  uncommon  care, 

But  all  to  find  some  contradictions  there! 

Some  read  to  prove  a  pre-adopted  creed, — 

Thus  understand  but  little  what  they  read, 

For  every  passage  in  the  book  they  bend, 

To  make  it  suit  that  all-important  end ! 

Some  people  read,   as  I  have  often  thought, 

To  teach  the  Book,   instead  of  being  taught ; 

And  some  there  are  who  read  it  out  of  spite, 

But  few  there  are,   I  fear,  who  read  it  eight." 


The  morrow  found  Elder  Clayton's  study  crowded  with 
eager  listeners.  Squire  Tanner  was  there  also,  industriously 
searching  his  text-book  for  arguments.  Anna  smiled  half-un- 
consciously  as  she  noted  his  eagerness,  and  glanced  from  his 
text-book  to  her  own. 

"  I  have  marked  some  passages  in  the  Bible,  which  seem  to 
me  to  be  bearing  on  the  subject  in  question,"  said  Anna,  in 
reply  to  Halley's  inquiry  after  individual  researches  for  Bible 
proofs. 

"  "We  will  first,  then,"  continued  Halley,  "  examine  what  you 
and  others  have  gathered  from  the  Sacred  Scriptures  on  this 
question.     Present  your  texts,  Miss  Anna,  if  you  please." 

"  As  it  regards  the  mission  of  John,"  began  Anna,  with 
much  diffidence  and  in  a  subdued  tone,  which  soon,  however, 
grew  firmer  and  stronger,  as  she  seemed  to  forget,  in  her  inte- 
rest in  the  subject  before  her,  the  many  attentive  listeners 
around  her,  "  the  angel  Gabriel  told  Zacharias,  John's  father, 


236  ANNA    CLAY  TON;     OR, 

that  '  He  should  he  great  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  And  many 
of  the  children  of  Israel  shall  he  turn  to  the  Lord  their  God. 
And  he  shall  go  before  him  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias,  to 
turn  the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,  and  the  disobe- 
dient to  the  wisdom  of  the  just,  to  make  ready  a  people  pre- 
pared for  the  Lord'  (Luke  i.  15-17). 

"  Here  is  not  a  trace  of  even  an  allusion  to  the  setting  up  of 
a  Gospel  Gentile  church,  or  of  any  church.  His  mission  was 
'  to  the  children  of  Israel.'  Shortly  after  the  angel  appeared 
to  Mary,  and  told  her  she  should  bear  a  son,  who  should  be 
called  the  Son  of  the  Highest;  and  God  should  give  unto  him 
the  throne  of  his  father  David,  and  that  he  should  reign  over 
the  house  of  Israel  forever,  and  of  his  kingdom  there  should  be 
no  end  :  see  Luke  i.  82-33.  That  does  not  sound  to  me  like 
the  setting  up  of  a  new  kingdom,  for  he  sits  on  the  throne  of 
David,  and  reigns  over  the  house  of  Israel.  Mary  afterward 
exclaimed  :  '  He  hath  holpen  his  servant  Israel  in  remembrance 
of  his  mercy,  as  he  spake  to  our  fathers,  to  Abraham,  and  to 
his  seed  forever.'  After  this,  Zacharias,  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost,  prophesied,  saying  :  '  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel ; 
for  he  hath  visited  and  redeemed  his  people,  and  hath  raised 
up  a  horn  of  salvation  for  us  in  the  house  of  his  servant  David ; 
as  he  spake  by  the  mouth  of  his  holy  prophets,  which  have 
been  since  the  world  began ;  to  perform  the  mercy  promised  to 
our  fathers,  and  to  remember  his  holy  covenant ;  the  oath  that  he 
sware  unto  our  father  Abraham.' 

"  Here  it  is  declared  that  Christ  is  comprehended  in  that 
covenant,  and  that  he  came  in  fulfillment  of  the  '  oath  He  sware 
unto  Abraham.'  That  certainly  does  not  favor  the  idea  of  the 
covenant  being  a  legal  contract  for  the  possession  of  the  land 
of  ( 'anaan,  but  a  contract  confirming  and  insuring  the  atonement 
of  Christ.  Pious  Simeon  also,  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  de- 
clared the  infant  Jesus  to  be  'a  light,  to  lighten  the  Gentiles, 
and  the  glory  of  thy  people  Israel.'     Also  in  Luke  iv.  18,  when 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       237 

Christ  entered  the  synagogue,  and  opened  the  hook  of  the  pro- 
phet Esaias  (Isaiah),  and  read :  '  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is 
upon  me,  because  he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  the  gospel  to 
the  poor;  lie  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken-hearted,  to  preach 
deliverance  to  the  captives,  and  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind, 
to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised,  to  preach  the  acceptable 
year  of  the  Lord.'  There  is  nothing  yet  about  the  setting  up 
of  a  visible  church  as  the  one  object  of  his  mission :  it  seems 
to  have  been  so  important  a  part  of  his  work,  that  he  never 
mentioned  it!  Again,  in  John  x.  16,  Jesus  says  to  the  Phari- 
sees in  his  parable  of  the  Good  Shepherd :  '  And  other  sheep 
I  have  which  are  not  of  this  fold  (then  he  had  a  fold  at  that 
time),  them  also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice; 
and  there  shall  be  OWE  fold-  and  one  Shepherd.'  And  Caiaphas, 
the  high-priest,  prophesied,  saying :  '  That  Jesus  should  die  for 
that  nation,  and  not  for  that  nation  only,  but  that  he  should 
gather  together  in  one  the  children  of  God  that  were  scattered 
abroad.'  His  fold  and  '  that  nation,'  were  the  Jews ;  his  other 
sheep  and  those  '  scattered  abroad,'  were  the  Gentiles  which  he 
brought  in  among  the  Jews,  and  they  became  '  one  fold,'  and 
over  them  there  was  'one  Shepherd.'  " 

Squire  Tanner  remarked  that  to  him  it  was  perfectly  plain 
that  Christ  organized  and  established  a  visible  church,  which 
was  usually  designated  the  "  kingdom  of  God."  That  was  what 
Christ  preached ;  he  preached  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  gathered 
all  true  believers  into  it.  He  then  opened  his  text-book 
(Theodosia  Ernest),  page  305,  and  read  :  "  Now  when  Christ 
came  into  the  world,  one  great  object,  if  not  the  great  object  of 
his  mission,  was  to  establish  his  risible  church.  He  set  it  up 
himself.  He  instructed  his  disciples  carefully  in  the  nature  of 
its  law.  *  *  *  Now  the  most  important  of  these  fundamental 
rules  was  that  which  fixed  the  terms  of  membership  in  his 
kingdom.  This  lay  at  the  foundation  of  the  whole  business. 
The  character,  the  influence,  the  prosperity  of  his  kingdom 


238  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

must  depend  upon  the  character  of  the  persons  of  whom  it  was 
composed.    Now  the  Jewish  kingdom,  though  it  had  in  it  much 
of  good,  and  was  a  beautiful  type  of  better  things  to  come,  yet 
it  had  included  more  of  the  evil  than  the  good.  *  *  *  But  now 
Christ  was  organizing  not  a  temporal,  but  a  spiritual  kingdom. 
His  dominion  was  to  be  one  of  interior  rule  —  by  the  power  of 
love.     The  subjects  of  this  kingdom  were  to  be  converted  men 
and  women,  who  loved  God  and  lived  to  his  glory.     No  one 
could  belong  to  it,  as  he  told  Nicodemus,  who  had  not  been  born 
again.     This  was  his  church" — (The  italics  are  Mr.  Graves'). 
"  In  the  first  place,"  replied  Halley,  "  we  have  an  assertion 
that  Christ's  mission  was  '  to  set  up  a  visible  church.'    Second, 
that  he  instructed  his  disciples  in  the  nature  of  its  laws,  and 
particularly  in  its  terms  of  membership.     Third,  he  states  that 
it  was  not  a  visible  church,  but  a  spiritual  church  !     For  what 
is  spiritual  is  of  necessity  not  visible.     No  man  hath  at  any 
time  seen  a  spirit,  or  anything  spiritual,  except  through  the  eye 
of  faith :  visible  objects  are  seen  through  the  natural  eye — the 
eye  of  sense.     Fourth,  the  terms  of  membership,  regarding 
which  Christ  so  faithfully  instructed  his  disciples,  were  con- 
version :  '  Ye  must  be  born  again  to  enter  the  kingdom  of  God.' 
Now  this  is  beautiful  reasoning!  just  such  as  he  has  served  up 
all  along  in  his  work  for  his  readers  !    And  is  it  not  particularly 
nattering,  if  he  supposes  they  have  not  discernment  enough  to 
discover  the  fallacy  ?    Where  is  the  logical  sequence  in  all  this 
commingling  of  ideas  and  sentences  ?    It  will  require  a  stronger 
and  more  powerful  combining  principle  than  any  to  be  found 
in  the  whole  department  of  chemistry,  to  effect  here  a  uniting 
of  the  different  elements,  and  thereby  form  a  logical  or  even 
chemical  connection  !    The  object  of  Christ,  he  informs  us,  was 
to  set  up  here  a  visible  church  !     He  does  not  venture  even  a 
single  proof-text;  and  for  the  best  reason  in  the  world,  for  he 
could  not  find  one.     I  shall  therefore  beg  leave  to  differ  from 
him,  inasmuch  as  I  have  somehow  got  the  impression,  that  the 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  239 

one  great  object  of  the  mission  of  our  Savior  Jesus  Christ,  was 
to  make  an  atonement  for  our  sins  by  meeting  the  requirements 
of  the  law  in  our  stead.  I  am  probably  indebted  for  this  idea 
to  Paul,  who  said :  '  God  sent  forth  his  Son  to  redeem  them 
which  are  under  the  law,  that  we  might  receive  the  adoption 
of  sons'  (Gal.  iv.  5).  Also  Jesus  himself  said,  'I  have  come 
to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost.  Think  ye  that  I  am 
come  to  destroy  the  law  and  the  prophets  ?  I  tell  you,  Nay  j  I 
am  not  come  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfill.  For  God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life. 
For  God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn  the  world, 
but  that  the  world  through  him  might  be  saved.  Even  as  the 
Son  of  Man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minister, 
and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many ! 

"  This  is  our  Savior's  own  definition  and  statement  of  the 
purpose  of  his  mission ;  but  not  a  word  said  about  setting  up  a 
visible  church.  Again :  He  instructed  his  disciples  carefully 
in  the  nature  of  its  laws. — Granted.  There  is  no  truth  more 
plainly  taught  than  who  are  fit  members  of  his  kingdom. 
'  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit ;  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of 
God.  Blessed  are  the  peace-makers ;  for  they  shall  be  called 
the  children  of  God.  Blessed  are  they  who  shall  be  perse- 
cuted for  righteousness'  sake;  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  I  say  unto  you,  love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that 
curse  you ;  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you ;  and  pray  for  them 
that  despitefully  use  you,  and  persecute  you ;  that  ye  may  be 
the  children  of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven.  For  if  ye  love 
them  that  love  you,  what  reward  have  you  ?  And  if  ye  salute 
your  brethren  only,  what  do  ye  more  than  others.' 

"Again  :  Christ  was  organizing  not  a  temporal,  but  a  spirit- 
ual kingdom.  This  is  also  granted  :  although  he  sat  upon  the 
throne  of  David  and  shall  reign  over  the  house  of  Israel  for- 
ever :  and  of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be  no  end  (See  Luke  i. 
32  and  33). 


240  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  There  is  to  be  no  end  to  his  kingdom,  and  so  of  necessity 
it  is  spiritual ;  for  we  have  not  yet  formed  the  acquaintance  of 
anything  visible  and  temporal  but  that  there  is  an  end  to  it. 

"  Once  more  :  The  terms  of  membership  to  Christ's  spiritual 
kingdom  —  that  one  of  which  there  is  to  be  no  end  —  are,  '  Ye 
must  be  born  again.'  That,  certainly,  is  Gospel  truth.  But 
why  attempt  to  mystify,  and  to  blend  the  two  in  one  ?  "Why 
tell  us  that  Christ  came  to  set  up  a  visible  church,  and  then 
add  that  it  was  not  a  temporal  but  a  spiritual  kingdom  ?  And 
why  do  you  thereafter  append  thereto,  that  no  one  can,  and  that 
none  do  enter  it  but  those  born  of  the  Spirit,  and  thereby 
endeavor  to  leave  the  impression  that  this  is  Christ's  command 
and  declaration  with  regard  to  membership  in  his  church  mili- 
tant— his  visible  church  ?  What  have  you  to  say,  Miss  Anna, 
to  such  a  process  of  reasoning  as  this  ?  " 

"  I  think,"  replied  Anna,  "  that  to  suppose  the  terms  '  king- 
dom of  heaven,'  and  '  kingdom  of  God,'  as  used  by  our  Savior, 
meant  a  visible  church,  which  Christ  came  to  set  up,  involves 
an  absurdity.  I  have  marked  some  passages  in  which  it  occurs. 
It  could  not  have  been  a  new  one,  certainly,  set  up  at  his 
coming  •  for  he  says :  '  There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing 
of  teeth  when  ye  shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and 
all  the  prophets  in  the  kingdom  of  God  (the  visible  church !), 
and  you  yourselves  thrust  out'  (See  Luke  xiii.  28).  If  these 
old  Patriarchs  are  in  it,  can  it  be  a  new  church  ?  And  can  it 
be  a  visible  church  ?  When  our  Savior  was  questioned  of  the 
Pharisees  with  regard  to  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
he  answered  (Luke  xvii.  20  and  21) :  '  The  kingdom  of  God 
cometh  not  with  observation  :  neither  shall  they  say,  Lo,  here  ! 
nor  Lo,  there!  for  behold,  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you.' 
This  sounds  also  very  much  like  the  reply  he  made  to  Pilate 
when  asked  :  '  Art  thou  the  king  of  the  Jews  ? '  His  reply  was  : 
'  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world  :  if  my  kingdom  were  of  this 
world,  then  would  my  servants  fight;  but  now  is  my  kingdom 
not  from  hence.' 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  2-41 

"And  further :  if  the  term,  '  kingdom  of  God'  means  a  visi- 
ble church,  we  can  hardly  reconcile  with  truth  all  the  declara- 
tions of  Christ !  He  said :  '  It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  go 
through  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  the 
kingdom  of  God.'  It  does  not  seem  to  be  a  difficult  matter  for 
a  rich  man  to  enter  a  visible  church,  and  I  am  sure  he  creates 
a  greater  sensation  among  his  brethren  there  than  a  poor  man. 
But  how  is  it  with  Christ's  invisible,  spiritual  kingdom,  of 
which  there  is  no  end,  and  he,  our  Savior,  the  only  door  of 
entrance  ?  I  leave  it  for  the  Master  himself  to  decide ;  and  he 
says,  it  is  difficult. 

"Again,  'f  Christ  meant  his  visible  church  by  the  term 
1  kingdom  of  God,'  he  must  have  thought  it  would  be  very  dif- 
ferent from  what  it  is ;  and  this  would  seriously  reflect  on  his 
omniscience,  for  he  said :  '  Ye  must  be  born  again,  or  ye  can- 
not enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.'  That  very  many  do  enter 
the  visible  church  who  are  not  born  of  the  Spirit,  I  suppose  no 
one  will  deny;  and  yet  we  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus  him- 
self, that  no  one  can  enter  His  kingdom  unless  born  of  the 
Spirit.  That  any  one  should  quote  such  a  text  as  that  to  prove 
membership  of  a  visible  church,  indicates  a  weakness  of  judg- 
ment and  intellect  not  at  all  enviable,  or  a  dishonesty  of  cha- 
racter wholly  anti-Christian ;  or  at  least,  it  is  resorting  to  means 
unworthy  a  good  cause,  and  shows  very  conclusively  that  he 
has  but  little  faith  in  the  truth  of  the  position  taken.  Your 
author  —  Mr.  Graves  —  says  also,  on  page  307,  that  baptism  is 
the  door  of  entrance  to  this  church,  which  cannot  be  entered 
unless  born  of  the  Spirit !  Where  is  his  authority  ?  Jesus 
says :  '  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  entereth  not  by 
the  door  into  the  sheepfold,  but  climbeth  up  some  other  way, 
the  same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber.  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  I  am 
the  door.  I  am  the  door;  by  me  if  any  man  enter  in  he  shall 
be  saved'  (see  John,  10th  chapter). 

"  If  the  author  of  that  work  or  any  other  man  enters  Christ's 
21  Q 


2  42  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

fold  through  the  door  of. baptism,  the  word  of  God  very  plainly 
points  out  how  he  is  regarded  by  our  Savior.  I  desire  no  other 
door  to  the  fold  of  the  Great  Shepherd  of  souls,  than  Christ 
himself;  and  I  have  the  blessed  assurance  from  the  Master 
himself,  that  if  I  enter  through  him  I  shall  be  saved:  but  how 
is  it  with  him  who  climbeth  up  some  other  way  ?  Look  ye 
well  to  it,  who  enter  only  by  the  door  of  baptism ;  Christ  re- 
cognizes no  such  door ;  remember  he  says,  '  /  am  the  door.'  " 

"  In  view  of  these  passages  of  Scripture,  and  others  simi- 
lar," said  Halle}-,  "  what  idea  do  you  gather  from  the  term  in 
question  ?  " 

"I  think,"  responded  Anna;  "that  the  term  kingdom  of 
God  means  the  spiritual  rule  of  Christ  in  the  hearts  of  all  those, 
and  those  only,  who  are  sealed  unto  redemption  by  the  Spirit 
of  truth  begun  in  this  world,  and  perfected  when  'The  king 
shall  say  unto  them  on  his  right  hand,  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my 
Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world'  (see  Matt.  xxv.  84)." 

"  But  why  were  they  said  to  preach  the  Gospel  of  the  king- 
dom ? "  asked  Halley. 

"  The  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  God  has  been  pleased  to  in- 
stitute as  the  means  through  which  man's  attention  is  arrested, 
and  he  thereby  is  led  into  the  kingdom." 

"  What  authority,  then,  is  left  us  ?  Where  are  the  evidences 
from  the  Bible  which  testify  that  the  setting  up  of  a  visible 
church  was  the  mission  of  Christ?"  asked  Halley.  "There 
is  nothing  remaining  in  support  of  it,  save  the  bare  assertion 
of  Brother  Baptist ;  and  one  would  hardly  think  he  would 
desire  to  retain  so  awkward  a  position.  He  thereby  endeavors 
to  make  it  appear  that  this  visible  church,  he  is  speaking  of,  is 
something:  essentially  different  from  the  Jewish  church.  But 
after  all  his  labor,  it  proves  to  be  a  distinction  without  any  dif- 
ference. The  net  is  cast  into  the  sea,  and  whether  it  captures 
Jews  or  Gentiles,  it  brings  both  the  good  and  bad  to  shore. 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  243 

The  tares  and  wheat  grow  together  in  this  world,  and  there  is 
no  separation  until  the  harvest.  Paul  recognized  this  of  the 
Jewish  church,  when  he  said :  '  They  are  not  all  Israel  which 
are  of  Israel.'  And  again,  in  Romans,  11th  chapter :  '  Hath 
God  east  away  his  people  ?  God  forbid  !  God  hath  not  cast 
awa}-  his  people,  which  he  foreknew.  Wot  ye  not  what  the 
Scripture  saith  of  Elias  ?  How  he  maketh  intercession  to  God 
against  Israel,  saying,  Lord,  they  have  killed  thy  prophets,  and 
digged  down  thine  altars ;  and  I  am  left  alone,  and  they  seek 
my  life.  But  what  saith  the  answer  of  God  unto  him  ?  I 
have  reserved  to  myself  seven  thousand  men,  who  have  not 
bowed  the  knee  to  the  image  of  Baal.  Even  so  then  at  this 
present  time  also,  there  is  a  remnant  according  to  the  election 
of  grace.  And  if  by  grace,  then  it  is  no  more  of  works ;  other- 
wise, grace  is  no  more  grace.'  Does  Paul  imply  that  there  is 
any  neic  requirement  of  God's  people  under  the  new  dispensa- 
tion —  does  he  indicate  any  such  thing  ?  So  far  from  it,  that 
he  rather  on  all  occasions,  holds  up  those  who  lived  in  accord- 
ance with  the  old  requirement,  as  examples  in  all  the  Chris- 
tian virtues.  Hear  him  in  Heb.  11,  '  Faith  is  the  substance 
of  things  hoped  for.  Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please 
God."  This  is  then  what  is  now  required  of  us  under  the 
gospel  dispensation,  and  by  it  we  are  accepted :  is  it  a  new  re- 
quirement ?  Let  Paul  answer.  '  By  faith  Abel  offered  unto 
God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice  than  Cain.  By  faith  Enoch  was 
translated  that  he  should  not  see  death.  By  faith  Xoah  be- 
came heir  of  the  righteousness  which  is  by  faith.  By  faith 
Abraham  offered  up  Isaac.  By  faith  Isaac  blessed  Jacob  and 
Esau.  By  faith  Jacob  blessed  the  two  sons  of  Joseph.  By 
faith  Joseph  made  mention  of  the  departing  of  the  children  of 
Israel.  By  faith  Moses  was  hid.  By  faith  he  refused  to  be 
called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter.  By  faith  he  forsook 
Egypt.  Through  faith  he  kept  the  passover.  By  faith  he 
passed  through  the  Red  Sea.     By  faith  the  walls  of  Jericho 


244  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

fell  down.  By  faith  Rahab  perished  not.  And  what  shall  I 
say  more  ?  for  the  time  would  fail  me  to  tell  of  Gideon,  and 
of  Barak,  and  of  Sampson,  and  of  Jephtha;  of  David,  also, 
and  Samuel,  and  of  the  prophets :  who  through  faith  subdued 
kingdoms,  wrought  righteousness,  obtained  promises,  stopped 
the  mouths  of  lions,  quenched  the  violence  of  fire,  escaped  the 
edge  of  the  sword,  out  of  weakness  were  made  strong,  waxed 
valiant  in  fight,  turned  to  flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens. 
"Women  received  their  dead  raised  to  life  again;  and  others 
were  tortured,  not  accepting  deliverance;  that  they  might  ob- 
tain a  better  resurrection ;  and  others  had  trials  of  cruel  mock- 
ings  and  scourgings,  yea,  moreover  of  bonds  and  imprisonment ; 
they  were  stoned,  they  were  sawn  asunder,  were  tempted,  were 
slain  with  the  sword;  they  wandered  about  in  sheep-skins  and 
goat-skins ;  being  destitute,  afflicted,  tormented ;  of  whom  the 
world  was  not  worthy  ;  they  wandered  in  deserts,  and  in  moun- 
tains, and  in  dens,  and  in  caves  of  the  earth.' 

"  This  must  have  been  a  Gospel  faith  of  the  truest  metal ; 
and  it  is  just  such  faith  as  this,  which  God  required,  ay,  de- 
manded, of  all  the  children  of  Israel — from  every  one  of  them 
just  as  he  demands  it  of  his  people  now.  It  was  demanded  in 
the  covenant  he  established  with  them.  God  said  (Gen.  xvii. 
1),  '  Walk  before  me,  and  be  thou  perfect.'  It  was  subse- 
quently demanded  in  the  law  of  Moses;  and  later  still,  by  all 
of  God's  messengers,  by  whom  he  made  known  his  will  to  his 
people.  That  all  did  not  exercise  it;  that  many,  when  trials 
and  temptations  came,  fell  away;  does  not  prove  that  they 
were  not  connected  with  God's  church  —  does  not  prove  that 
there  was  no  church  existing  at  that  time,  any  more  than  it 
proves  that  there  is  no  church  now,  and  never  has  been  any  on 
earth.  We  have  abundant  evidence  to  lead  us  to  believe  that 
there  is  not  a  church  in  this  Christian  land  that  would  stand 
the  test  of  civil  persecutions,  imprisonments,  torture,  and  ig- 
numinous  death,  without  a  sad  number  of  apostasies. 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  245 

"  That  the  Jewish  church  in  the  time  of  Christ  was  in  a 
worldly  and  spiritless  state,  is  nothing  more  than  might  be  said, 
with  truth,  of  many  churches  in  our  midst  at  the  present  day ; 
and  was  said,  even  in  the  time  of  the  Apostles,  of  some  they 
planted  and  watered.  God's  church  has  ever  been  the  same  in 
a  spiritual  sense.  He  has  ever  required  the  same  character  of 
its  members,  and  exhibited  to  them  the  same  character  of  him- 
self. It  has  differed  only  in  circumstances,  and  those  purely 
external.  Supreme  love  to  God  is  demanded  of  all,  and  has 
ever  been,  as  we  have  proved  by  numerous  texts;  and  all  who 
were  justified  were  justified  not  by  works,  but  by  grace  be- 
stowed through  the  exercise  of  true  living  gospel  faith  in  the 
atonement  to  be  made  for  them  and  all  the  world.  And  this 
atonement  was  brought  to  view  every  time  a  sacrifice  lay  bleed- 
ing upon  the  altar.  So  likewise  the  rite  of  circumcision  was 
of  the  same  nature  and  equally  spiritual  with  the  ordinance  of 
baptism.  It  was  so  called  by  Paul,  Rom.  ii.  29,  '  Circumcision 
is  that  of  the  heai't,  in  the  spirit,  and  not  in  the  letter.'  It  was 
the  sign  or  symbol  of  the  regeneration  of  the  heart.  Turn  to 
Deut.  xxx.  6  :  'And  the  Lord  thy  God  will  circumcise  thy  heart, 
AND  the  heart  of  THY  seed,  to  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  that  thou  mayest  live.' 
This  is  all  that  can  be  claimed  for  the  ordinance  of  baptism ; 
it  is  a  sign  of  the  regeneration  of  the  heart — the  sanctification 
of  the  Spirit ;  which  operation  is  performed  that  we  may  live 
before  God.  This  is  its  generic  sense:  specifically  under  this 
it  is  a  seal.  Baptism  is  the  seal  of  that  faith  by  which  we  lay 
hold  on  the  promises  of  God :  and  that  was  precisely  the  im- 
port of  circumcision  in  a  specific  sense.  Paul  says  that  it  was 
'a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith.'  And  the  child  was  only 
eight  days  old,  and  therefore  incapable  of  understanding,  or 
making  a  covenant.  Yet  by  God's  command  and  appointment 
children  were  included  in  this  covenant  with  the  believing 
21  * 


246  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

parent ;  and  because  included,  must  have  affixed  to  them  the 
seal  of  the  covenant. 

"  Why  does  not  your  author,  Squire  Tanner,  turn  up  his  nose 
in  a  sickly  sneer  at  infant  circumcision,  as  well  as  at  infant 
baptism  ?  He  says,  p.  202  :  '  Can  a  little  babe,  mewling  and 
puking  in  its  mother's  arms,  be  taught  the  doctrines  of  salva- 
tion ? '  Why  does  he  not  directly  charge  God  with  having 
established  an  ordinance  of  cruelty,  as  well  as  one  in  its  effects 
a  nullity  ?  The  child  could  not  understand  it !  And  yet  by 
God's  express  command,  '  the  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith,' 
was  to  be  applied  to  one  who  could  neither  exercise  faith,  nor 
understand  its  import !  By  the  appointment  of  Jehovah  him- 
self, the  sign  of  the  circumcision  of  the  heart,  or  renewing  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  was  to  be  placed  upon  one  whom  your  author 
says,  '  is  a  child  of  wrath,  even  as  others : '  we  say  not ;  be- 
lieving that  God  knows  best. 

"  And  now,  as  God  has  never  revoked  these  commands,  nor 
repealed  this  covenant,  nor  even  abrogated  any  part  of  it,  we 
feel  it  obligatory  on  us  to  give  our  child,  in  obedience  to  God's 
requirements,  Christian  circumcision;  knowing  that  it  is  not- 
misplaced,  even  though  it  be  '  the  sign  of  the  circumcision  of 
the  heart,  made  without  hands'  —  the  purifying  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  —  unless  God  himself  has  misplaced  it!  Who 
dare  affirm  that  God  has  misplaced  the  seal  of  his  own  cove- 
nant? 'We  are  the  circumcision  (Phil.  iii.  3)  which  worship 
God  in  the  Spirit,  and  rejoice  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no 
confidence  in  the  flesh.' 

"  Baptism  is  the  seal  of  the  same  covenant,  ordained  for  the 
same  church.  It  means  the  same  thing.  It  is  employed  for 
the  same  purpose,  and  circumcision  is  passed  away.  Baptism 
is  now  what  circumcision  was  once;  a  seal  of  the  righteousness 
of  faith  in  God's  promises,  to  be  our  God  and  the  God  of  our 
children.  Christianity  has  no  other  sign  or  seal  of  the  right- 
eousness of  faith.     Says  Mr.  Hall,  'It  has  been  objected  that 


T  n  E     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  247 

circumcision  "was  applied  only  to  males ;  might  not  this  have 
heen  among  the  reasons  for  a  change  of  the  seal  ?  A  distinc- 
tion was  made  between  male  and  female  under  the  Mosaic  dis- 
pensation, as  between  Jew  and  Greek,  bond  and  free ;  but  under 
Cbrist  this  distinction  is  abolished  :  '  There  is  neither  Jew  nor 
Greek,  there  is  neither  bond  nor  free,  there  is  neither  male  nor 
female'  Hence,  the  seal  remaining,  there  was  a  necessity  for 
changing  its  form.'  But  nothing  is  revoked  in  the  covenant 
God  made  with  his  people — there  has  been  no  shadow  of  vary- 
ing in  its  whole  spirit  —  nothing  has  been  changed  save  the 
form  of  the  seal. 

"  But  let  us  suppose  for  a  moment  that  the  Christian  dispen- 
sation was  so  changed  from  the  Jewish,  as  to  exclude  infants 
from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  church;  how  would  the  Jews  have 
regarded  it  ?  " 

"  But  suppose  there  was  no  church ;  then  they  would  not 
have  been  excluded  from  it ; "  rather  tauntingly,  and  with  an 
air  of  defiance,  interrupted  Tanner. 

"  You  can  suppose  as  many  absurd  notions  as  you  please. 
But  remember  you  come  not  so  much  in  conflict  with  us,  as 
with  the  word  of  God.  The  sacred  Scriptures  declare  there 
was  a  church,  and  reiterate  and  enforce  the  idea  again  and 
again.  You  would  just  as  soon  deny  the  existence  of  a  hell, 
if  it  subserved  your  interests  to  do  so ;  the  latter  is  certainly 
not  more  plainly  taught  than  the  former. 

"  According  to  your  own  reasoning,  by  the  denial  of  the 
existence  of  a  church  at  that  time,  you  give  to  your  Master, 
whom  you  profess  to  love  and  to  serve,  the  lie  !  He  says  the 
Jews  were  in  possession  of  the  '  kingdom/  and  that  it  was  taken 
from  them  and  given  to  the  Gentiles  —  to  us  :  to  those  who 
should  bring  forth  the  fruits  thereof  (See  Matt.  xxi.  43).  Xow 
you  claim  that  the  term  '  kingdom  of  God/  even  as  used  by 
our  Savior,  means  invariably  the  visible  church;  and  you  refuse 
the  testimony  of  the  Great  Head  of  the  church,  and  call  his 


248  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

declaration  virtually  a  metaphorical  nonentity  !  You  say,  Xo  ! 
It  can't  be  the  church  in  this  case ;  although  if  it  clo'nt  mean 
the  visible  church,  it  can't  mean  anything  j  and  therefore  it 
here  means  just  nothing  at  all! 

"  To  such  straits  are  people  driven  when  they  form  their 
creed  to  support  their  own  notions,  and  then  torture  the  word 
of  God  to  its  support !  Perhaps  1  am  severe.  I  accuse  not 
thus  the  great  body  of  the  Baptist  church.  I  know  too  many 
noble,  conscientious,  and  self-sacrificing  Christians  among  them ; 
whom  I  am  proud  to  recognize  as  the  fellow-members  of  the 
body  of  Christ  Jesus.  I  refer  to  those  leaders  only  in  the 
church,  who,  when  driven  from  their  positions  by  the  word  of 
God,  in  cool,  candid  argument,  choose  to  stoop  to  any  subter- 
fuge rather  than  confess  themselves  driven  —  to  be  in  error ! 
But  one  day  they  will  be  judged  by  this  very  word  they  thus 
torture. 

"  This,  however,  has  been  a  digression.  We  were  about  to 
contemplate  for  a  moment  the  position  of  affairs  if  infants  had 
been  excluded  from  the  jurisdiction  of  the  church.  Think  you 
that  the  Jews  would  not  have  raised  an  outcry  against  this  in- 
novation of  one  of  their  most  highly  esteemed  privileges,  as 
they  did  against  every  other  that  was  made  ?  This  the  Jewish 
Christians  esteemed  one  of  their  most  precious  privileges :  and 
they  were  exceeding  jealous  of  their  rights  and  privileges,  and 
held  to  everything  handed  down  from  their  forefathers  with 
the  greatest  tenacity,  so  that  Peter  and  Paul  both  made  con- 
cessions to  them.  Are  we  then  to  suppose  that  with  all  their 
attachments  to  former  customs,  and  their  Jewish  jealousy  about 
the  slightest  innovation  or  change  in  the  old  system,  they 
would  so  calmly  acquiesce  in  the  exclusion  of  their  children 
from  the  blessings  and  jurisdiction  of  the  church  as  never  to 
raise  the  slightest  objection,  or  indulge  in  the  least  murmur  on 
the  occasion,  or  even  to  mention  that  such  an  exclusion  had 
taken  place  ?     Far  from  it ! 


TIIE    INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  249 

"  But  on  the  other  hand,  when  the  Gentiles  were  converted 
to  the  Christian  faith,  the  Jewish  Christians  expected  them  to 
conform  to  the  law  and  adopt  the  entire  ritual  of  Moses,  as  well 
as  of  Christ,  Even  the  Apostles  regularly  attended  the  temple 
worship,  and  performed  as  usual  their  accustomed  ceremonies 
(See  Acts  xxi.  18-28). 

"  Multitudes  of  Jews  after  embracing  Christianity  still  re- 
tained the  rite  of  circumcision  (Acts  xxi.  20) :  '  Many  thou- 
sands of  the  Jews,  who  believed,  were  zealous  of  the  law.' 
They  certainly  then  continued  the  custom  of  circumcising  their 
children,  and  adopted  Christianity  as  a  system  growing  out  of 
their  own  religion,  but  by  no  means  superseding  it  (See  Acts 
xxi.  21).  Here  it  is  stated  that  Paul  had  been  charged  with 
having  taught  that  all  the  Jews  which  are  among  the  Gentiles, 
those  who  lived  in  heathen  countries  only  (and  not  those  living 
in  Jerusalem  and  Judea),  should  no  longer  conform  to  the 
Mosaic  ritual.  And  this  was  considered  by  them  as  a  severe 
charge.  We  may  now  call  to  mind  that  baptism  was  inseparably 
joined  with  circumcision  in  the  Jewish  church.  ~\Vhen  a  prose- 
lyte was  made,  they  invariably  circumcised  and  baptized  him 
and  his  children.  Of  course  only  the  males  were  circumcised, 
but  both  males  and  females  were  baptized.  Says  the  learned 
Jewish  writer,  Maimonides,  '  They  baptized  also  young  children. 
They  baptize  a  little  proselyte  according  to  the  judgment  of 
the  Sanhedrim  :  if  he  be  deprived  of  his  father,  and  his  mother 
brings  him  to  be  made  a  proselyte,  they  baptize  him  (because 
none  become  proselytes  without  circumcision  and  baptism)  ac- 
cording to  the  judgment  or  rite  of  the  Sanhedrim ;  that  is,  that 
three  men  be  present  at  the  baptism,  who  are  now  instead  of  a 
father  to  him.'  And  the  Gemara,  the  second  part  of  the  Tal- 
mud, a  sort  of  commentary  on  the  Mishna,  says :  '  If  with  a 
proselyte  his  sons  and  his  daughters  are  made  proselytes  also, 
that  which  is  done  by  their  father  redounds  to  their  good.' 
Again  :  '  If  an  Israelite  find  a  Gentile  child  or  a  Gentile  infant, 


250  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

and  baptize  him  *  *  behold  he  is  a  proselyte.'  Jewish  con- 
verts and  their  children  have  always  been  blended  together. 
They  have  always  circumcised  and  baptized,  they  still  continue 
to  circumcise  and  baptize :  and  they  and  their  little  ones,  their 
children,  advance  as  aforetime  as  inseparable  associates  into  the 
Christian  field.  Under  the  Gospel  dispensation,  baptism  was 
intended  to  supersede  circumcision ;  yet  this  was  left  optional 
with  the  Jew.  He  was  required,  in  perfect  conformity  with 
Moses  and  his  teachings,  to  become  the  follower  of  one  greater 
than  Moses,  and  who  taught  as  never  man  taught." 

"  Do  you  assert,  Mr.  Halley,  that  the  Gospel  has  anything  to 
do  with  infants?"  asked  Squire  Tanner,  as  he  looked  up  quite 
abstractedly  from  the  book  he  had  been  consulting.  "It  is 
stated  here,  sir,  on  page  206,  by  Mr.  Graves,  whom  we  consider 
good  Baptist  authority,  that  '  The  Gospel  has  nothing  to  do 
with  infants.'     What  have  you  to  say  to  that?" 

"  I  have  to  say,  sir,  that  that  assertion  is  merely  the  ipse  dixit 
of  your  author,  without  a  shadow  of  proof  in  its  support.  Look 
at  the  absurdity  of  the  position,  sir  !  Although  the  Gospel  was 
preached  unto  Abraham,  and  by  divine  appointment  parent  and 
child  had  traveled  together  in  inseparable  covenant  relations  for 
nearly  two  thousand  years,  yet  without  finding  one  command 
or  one  clause,  not  even  one  word,  in  all  the  Bible,  which,  truly 
weighed,  has  a  tendency  to  dissolve  this  relation  ;  notwithstand- 
ing all  this,  your  author  shoulders  the  responsibility,  and  pro- 
nounces these  relations  dissolved,  and  declares  further  that  the 
Gospel  never  had  anything  to  do  with  infants  ! 

"  And  what  is  still  more  unaccountable,  he  would  have  the 
parent  yield  to  this  innovation  without  even  a  murmur,  fully 
persuaded  that  He  who  had  '  gathered  the  lambs  in  his  arms 
and  carried  them  in  his  bosom,'  and  had  said,  <  Suffer  little 
children  to  come  unto  me  and  forbid  them  not,'  would  not  gladly 
receive  them !  And  more  wonderful  still,  the  parent  persists  in 
circumcising  his  child,  whilst  at  the  same  time  he  is  assured 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  251 

that  '  the  Gospel  has  nothing  to  do  with  infants/  and  that  they 
are  shut  out  from  the  privileges  and  blessings  of  the  church 
of  God ! 

te  And  farther,  whilst  the  Apostles  take  the  greatest  pains  to 
set  them  right  on  all  other  points,  and  even  incur  their  resent- 
ment for  their  faithfulness  in  this  duty,  yet  they  suffer  this 
glaring  contradiction  between  principle  and  practice  to  continue 
without  a  syllable  of  disapprobation :  This  is  your  position, 
Squire  Tanner ;  is  it  probable  —  is  it  reasonable  even  ? 

"  Whatever  the  Apostles  might  have  been,  it  is  unmistakably 
evident  that  they  were  as  unlike  as  possible  to  your  author 
there ;  or  they  would  have  denounced  this  infant  consecration 
as  '  impious,' '  sacrilegious,' '  daring  rebellion  against  God,'  etc., 
making  such  an  uproar  and  outcry  that  the  Christian  church 
would  have  left  at  least  as  much  as  one  text  on  record  for  our 
Baptist  brethren  to  preach  from. 

"  But  on  the  other  hand  how  different  from  this  arc  the  facts 
in  the  case !  The  Apostles  declared  that  the  covenant  remains 
unaltered ;  and  so  as  a  matter  of  necessity  all  the  parties  of  the 
covenant  remain  in  the  same  connection.  Peter,  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  being  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  stood  up  before  the 
vast  multitude  assembled  at  Jerusalem,  and  said  unto  them : 
'Repent  and  be  baptized,  every  one  of  you,  FOR  the  promise  is 
(still)  to  you  and  your  children,  and  all  that  are  afar  off,  even 
as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call'  (See  Acts  ii.  38,  39). 
And  again  in  his  second  address  (Acts  iii.  25) :  '  Ye  are  the 
children  of  the  prophets  and  the  covenant  which  God  made  with. 
our  fathers,  saying  unto  Abraham,  In  thy  seed  shall  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed.' 

"  Is  it  not  worthy  of  notice  that  Peter  refers  to  some  particu- 
lar covenant  here  ?  In  the  original  it  is  xai  irf  8ia0r;xris  (kai  tes 
diaihekes)  and  properly  rendered  is  — '  and  of  the  covenant.' 
And  also  in  the  passage  above  it  is  '  the  promise  is  to  you  and 
to  your  children,'  i.  e.  the  promise  of  God  unto  Abraham,  'to 
be  a  God  unto  thee  and  unto  thy  seed  after  thee.' 


252  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

"  No  one  can  consistently  or  intelligently  deny,  that  these 
passages  refer  directly  to  the  covenant  and  the  promise  made  to 
Abraham  and  to  his  posterity.  And  Paul  says  (Gal.  iii.  29), 
'  If  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  ac- 
cording to  the  promise.'  The  promise  then  in  which  God  en- 
gages to  be  our  God,  and  to  constitute  us  his  people,  is  the  one 
made  to  Abraham  and  to  his  seed;  and  it  equally  extends  to 
us  and  to  our  children,  even  down  to  eight  days  old,  by  divine 
appointment;  for  God  declared  it  to  be  an  everlasting  covenant 
to  Abraham  and  to  his  seed ;  and  the  Apostles  declared  it  to 
be  still  in  force,  and  to  extend  to  the  Gentiles;  and  Paul  de- 
clared further,  to  settle  the  matter  and  to  make  it  perfectly 
plain,  that  '  if  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and 
heirs  according  to  the  promise.'  Does  it  not  then  follow,  that 
if  we  are  Christians,  we  come  under  this  same  covenant, 
and  enjoy  its  privileges,  and  partake  of  its  promises  ?  And 
moreover,  it  just  as  plainly  follows  that  it  is  imperatively  bind- 
ing on  us  to  comply  with  the  requirement  on  our  part  in  the 
covenant,  and  to  have  the  seal  of  the  covenant  affixed  to  us 
and  to  our  children." 

u  But  by  the  word  children,"  said  Tanner,  "  is  meant  pos- 
terity, and  not  necessarily  infants." 

"  The  word  '  seed'  used  in  the  passages  above  cited,"  replied 
Halley,  "  means  also  posterity — the  earliest  as  well  as  the  latest 
posterity  —  the  youngest  children  in  the  family,  as  well  as  the 
most  distant  successor,  and  they  are  all  included  in  the  same 
covenant." 

"  Do  you  think,  Mr.  Halley,  that  Peter  meant  infants  in  the 
passage  you  quoted  just  now;  where  he  says  '  the  promise  is  to 
you  and  to  your  children'  ?"  asked  Elder  Clayton,  thoughtfully. 

"  Peter  speaks  to  all  who  are  capable  of  understanding  him. 
This  vast  multitude  he  calls  lyou.'  Now  who  can  he  possibly 
mean  by  the  children  of  his  hearers,  but  those  children  they 
had  then — even  the  infant  offspring — and  also  those  they  might 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       253 

have  thereafter  ?  And  if  the  promise  to  the  adults  be  a  reason 
for  their  being  baptized,  it  must  also  be  a  reason  for  baptizing 
their  children,  since  tbe  promise  is  to  both,  and  made  the  foun- 
dation of  their  baptism.  But  our  Baptist  brethren  would  make 
Peter  a  weak  reasoner  indeed.  According  to  their  construction, 
he  says,  The  promise  is  to  you,  therefore  be  baptized ;  the  pro- 
mise is  also  to  your  children,  therefore  let  them  not  be  baptized. 
0,  to  what  will  party  spirit  not  stoop  to  effect  its  ends !  But 
notice  :  the  Apostle  says,  the  promise  is  to  you  and  to  your  chil- 
dren ;  not  is  to  you,  and  will  be  to  your  children  when  they 
become  adults;  but  is  now  to  parents  and  little  ones  alike. 

"  And  let  us  now  further  notice :  Peter  connects  baptism 
with  '  the  promise '  in  the  same  manner  that  circumcision  was 
connected  with  it.  Under  the  old  dispensation,  the  covenant 
and  promise  was  to  the  believer,  therefore  he  must  be  circum- 
cised in  token  of  this  fact.  The  same  covenant  and  promise 
included  his  child,  therefore  the  child  must  be  circumcised  in 
token  of  this  fact.  Says  Peter,  '  Repent  and  be  baptized  every 
one  of  you.'  Why  ?  ask  the  Jews — the  believing  Jews.  Be- 
cause '  the  promise  is  to  you  and  to  your  children.'  The  pro- 
mise is  to  the  believer,  and  it  is  confirmed  in  the  person  of 
Jesus  Christ.  They  believed,  and  consequently  the  promise 
was  theirs,  and  they  must  be  baptized.  But  the  promise  is  also 
to  the  believer's  child,  and  therefore  the  believer's  child  must 
be  baptized.  The  believer  is  one  born  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
and  with  him  only  the  covenant  is  made.  Baptism  is  now  the 
seal  of  faith,  and  this  seal  the  believer  must  receive  as  a  token 
of  his  faith  in  God's  promises,  and  a  sign  of  the  sanctifying  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  heart.  But  by  God's  own 
appointment,  which  is  never  to  be  revoked  or  abrogated,  the 
believer's  child  by  virtue  of  its  relation  to  the  believing  parent, 
is  also  included  in  the  same  covenant  and  promise,  and  with  its 
parent,  receives  the  seal  of  faith,  and  sign  of  sanctification. 

"  In  view  of  this  testimony,  Squire  Tanner,  have  Pedobap- 
22 


254  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

tists  '  in  vain  searched  the  Scriptures  for  evidence, — for  a  single 
precept  or  example  —  to  justify  the  baptism  of  infants,  as  your 
author,  Mr.  Graves,  affirms  there  on  page  279  ?  He  who  could 
in  the  abundant  testimony  of  Revelation,  declare  such  state- 
ments to  be  true,  would  say  anything  to  effect  his  own  designs. 
But  if  your  author  makes  such  a  statement  without  the  light 
of  Revelation,  without  properly  consulting  his  Bible,  and  there- 
fore in  the  darkness  of  the  ignorance  of  the  spirit  and  tenor 
ol  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  then  how  great  is  that  dark- 
ness !  Now  in  connection  with  what  has  already  been  said,  let 
me  request  you  all,  at  your  leisure,  to  read  Romans  iv.  11-12, 
and  Gal.  iii.  6-9,  and  28-29,  and  then  tell  me  what  more  a  ra- 
tional mind  can  want  to  confirm  the  facts  I  have  stated. 

Dr.  Edwards  commenting  on  Acts  ii.  88-39,  remarks  :  '  We 
should  more  certainly  come  at  the  truth,  if  instead  of  idly  criti- 
cising, we  could  fancy  ourselves  Jews,  and  in  the  habit  of  cir- 
cumcising infants  and  receiving  them  into  the  church ;  and 
then  could  we  imagine  one  of  our  own  nation  and  religion  to 
address  us  in  the  language  of  Peter  in  the  text :  '  The  promise 
is  to  you  and  to  your  children  :'  let  us  ask  ourselves  whether  we 
could  ever,  suppose  him  to  mean  adults  only  ? ' 

"  But  Peter  not  only  said,  '  to  you  and  to  your  children,'  but 
also,  '  them  that  are  afar  off,  even  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God 
shall  call.'  Thus  he  opened  the  door  to  the  Gentile  believer. 
And  Paul  said,  '  Christ  came  and  preached  peace  to  you  which 
were  afar  off,  and  to  them  which  were  nigh  (Gentiles  and 
Jews) ;  for  through  him  we  both  have  access  by  one  Spirit 
unto  the  Father'  (see  Eph.  ii.  17-18).  And  again  (in  Eph. 
iii.  6)  :  '  That  the  Gentiles  should  be  fellow-heirs,  and  of 
the  same  body,  and  partakers  of  his  promise  in  Christ  by  the 
Gospel.' 

"  Will  you  now,  Squire  Tanner,  if  you  please,  turn  to  page 
222  in  your  work  there,  and  see  what  your  author  says  of  Dr. 
Woods?" 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  255 

Tanner  turned  to  the  page  and  read :  "  So  says  also  your 
other  celebrated  writer  on  this  subject,  Dr.  Leonard  Woods; 
'  The  New  Testament  is  silent  respecting  the  subject  of  infant 
baptism.  It  is  evident  that  infant  baptism  is  not  introduced  as 
a  subject  of  particular  discussion.  It  is  neither  explicitly  en- 
joined nor  prohibited,  and  neither  is  the  practice  of  baptizing 
children,  nor  the  absence  of  it,  expressly  mentioned.' " 

"  Why,  he  must  have  been  almost  a  Baptist ! "  exclaimed 
Halley.  "  But  as  I  have  his  work  here,  I  will  read  a  little  from 
it,  and  see  if  it  sounds  like  that  partial  and  fractional  quotation 
made  from  him  by  your  author;  that  quotation  is  in  effect  a 
libel  on  his  views.  Says  Dr.  Woods,  Infant  Baptism,  2d  ed. 
page  43,  '  Now  my  position  is,  that  the  Scriptures  of  the  New 
Testament,  understood  according  to  just  rides  of  interpretation, 
imply  that  the  children  of  believers  are  to  be  baptized.  The 
rule  of  interpretation,  which  is  of  the  highest  consequence, 
and  which  will  aid  us  most  in  discovering  the  true  meaning  of 
the  Scriptures  in  relation  to  the  subject  now  before  us,  is,  that 
we  put  ourselves,  as  far  as  may  be,  in  the  place  of  those  who 
gave  instruction,  and  of  those  ivho  received  it. 

"  You  will  easily  perceive  the  importance  and  necessity  of 
this  rule.  For  in  numberless  instances,  a  declaration  or  direc- 
tion derives  its  peculiar  meaning  from  the  consideration  of  the 
person  who  speaks,  or  of  those  to  whom  he  speaks.  Who  does 
not  know  that  the  same  combination  of  words  has  a  very  dif- 
ferent meaning  in  one  place  from  what  it  has  in  another  ?  Even 
when  the  general  sense  of  the  words  is  the  same,  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case  must  determine  the  extent  of  the  meaning 
which  they  bear,  or  what  is  implied  in  the  application  of  them 
to  the  subject  in  hand.  Some  fact,  some  prevalent  custom,  or 
habit  of  thinking,  may  give  them  a  specific  signification ;  and 
without  taking  such  fact  or  custom  into  view,  we  shall  be  likely 
to  miss  the  exact  sense  and  import  of  the  words.  In  how  many 
instances  should  we  be  at  a  loss  respecting  the  meaning  of  his- 


256  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

torians,  poets,  and  orators,  without  taking  into  account  the  ago 
and  place  in  which  they  lived,  and  the  character,  laws,  and 
usages  of  the  people  with  whom  they  were  conversant,  and  for 
whom  they  wrote. 

"  As  a  single  illustration  of  the  importance  of  this  principle, 
look  at  a  text  in  the  Old  Testament,  in  which  God  requires 
that  the  Sabbath,  should  be  sanctified.  How  do  you  ascertain 
which  day  is  meant  ?  Simply  by  considering  what  previous  in- 
structions and  commands  were  given  to  the  Israelites  on  the 
subject,  and  what  their  usage  was.  In  this  way  we  are  satis- 
fied that  the  seventh  day  was  meant.  Look  now  at  a  law,  in  an 
English  or  American  statute-book,  requiring  the  people  to  ab- 
stain from  secular  business  on  the  Sabbath.  How  do  you  as- 
certain which  day  is  meant  here?  In  the  same  manner  as 
before,  by  considering  what  has  been  the  usage  of  Christians 
generally,  and  particularly  of  that  people  for  whom  the  law 
was  made.  In  this  way  we  are  satisfied  that  the  first  day  of 
the  week  must  be  meant. 

"  Let  us  now  come  directly  to  the  subject.  Christ  appointed 
baptism  to  be  administered  to  all  who  should  become  proselytes 
to  his  religion,  that  is,  to  all  Christians;  and  when  he  was 
about  leaving  his  Apostles,  who  were  to  be  employed  as  the  in- 
struments of  converting  the  world,  he  gave  them  this  commis- 
sion ;  '  Go  ye,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.' 
The  word  fiaOrjtivaats  (mathetusate) ,  rendered  teach,  properly 
signifies,  make  disciples ;  proselyte;  convert  to  the  Christian  re- 
lief ion.  The  commission  then  is  this;  '  Go  ye,  proselyte,  or 
make  disciples  of  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and,  of  the  Holy  Ghost.'  This  com- 
mand was  given  by  one  who  was  born  a  Jew,  and  educated 
among  the  Jews,  and  was  perfectly  acquainted  with  all  their 
institutions  and  laws,  with  their  customs  and  usages,  and  with 
the  dispensations  of  Divine  Providence  towards  them.     And 


TIIE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  257 

the  command  was  addressed  to  Jews.  Now  whatever  there  was 
in  the  general  circumstances,  which  could  have  an  influence 
upon  the  meaning  of  the  command,  or  which  would  naturally 
cause  it  to  be  understood  in  one  way  or  another,  is  worthy  of 
special  attention. 

"Let  it  be  considered,  then,  that  the  Jews  had  long  been 
accustomed  to  make  proselytes  from  paganism  to  their  religion. 
The  obligation  to  do  this  had  been  brought  to  view  in  the 
divine  law,  and  rules  had  been  given  for  the  proper  treatment 
of  proselytes.  To  make  proselytes  was  regarded  as  a  great 
object;  and  the  efforts  of  the  Jews  to  bring  others  to  embrace 
their  religion,  were  crowned  with  extensive  success.  Prose- 
lytes were  numerous  both  in  Greece  and  in  Rome ;  and  it  seems 
that,  after  the  persecuting  reign  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  some 
whole  nations,  as  the  Idumeans,  Itureans,  and  Moabites,  pro- 
fessed the  Jewish  faith.  And  whenever  Gentiles  embraced 
the  Jewish  religion,  they  were  treated  in  regard  to  circumcision 
according  to  the  Jewish  law;  that  is, they  were  circumcised, — 
parents  and  children.  This  was  the  law  of  the  Jews;  and  this 
was  the  uniform  practice.  Hence  it  must  be  easy  to  determine 
how  Christian  Jews  would  be  likely  to  understand  the  duty  of 
proselyting  idolators  and  unbelievers  to  the  true  religion.  Sup- 
pose that  God,  previously  to  the  Christian  dispensation,  had  se- 
lected twelve  Jews,  and  sent  them  forth  to  convert  Greeks  and 
Romans  to  their  religion,  and  without  any  mention  of  children, 
had  meVely  given  them  this  commission  :  Go  ye,  proselyte  and 
circumcise  them.  Would  they  not  have  understood  such  a  com- 
mission as  requiring  them  tor,  circumcise  the  children  of  con- 
verted Greeks  and  Romans  ?  Uncpuestionably  they  would. 
And  why  ?  Because  they  were  Jews,  and  had  always  been  ac- 
customed to  the  circumcision  of  children,  as  well  as  j)arents.  In 
obedience  to  this  divine  command,  they  would  have  gone  to  the 
people  specified,  and  in  all  the  instances  in  which  men  were 
made  proselytes,  would  have  circumcised  them  and  their  children. 


258  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

"Again:  suppose,  in  such  a  case,  a  command  had  been 
given,  which  included  baptism  with  circumcision ;  thus :  Go 
ye,  and  proselyte  those  nations,  circumcising  and  baptizing  them. 
Still  not  a  word  about  children;  but  simply,  Go  and  proselyte 
those  nations  to  Judaism,  circumcising  and  baptizing  them. 
Most  certainly,  they  would  have  understood  that  baptism,  as 
well  as  circumcision,  was  to  be  applied  to  proselytes  and  their 
children. 

"  But  suppose  that  baptism  had  been  put  in  the  place  of  cir- 
cumcision, as  the  sign  to  be  put  upon  proselytes  to  Judaism ; 
and  so  the  command  to  the  Jewish  teachers  had  been  :  Go  ye, 
proselyte  and  baptize  the  people  of  Greece  and  Rome.  Must 
they  not  have  understood  the  command  in  the  same  way  ? 
Surely  those  who  were  acquainted  with  the  commands  and  in- 
stitutions which  God  gave  to  Abraham  and  to  Moses,  and  who 
had  always  been  accustomed  to  observe  them,  could  have  had 
no  doubt,  that  the  rite  which  marked  the  relation  of  proselytes 
to  God,  was  to  be  applied  to  their  children  also. 

Thus  far,  all  must  have  the  same  opinion.  Such  a  divine 
command  to  Jews  before  the  time  of  Christ,  whether  it  ap- 
pointed circumcision  only,  or  circumcision  together  with  bap- 
tism, or  baptism  instead  of  circumcision,  as  a  mark  to  be  applied 
to  those  who  were  proselyted  to  the  Jewish  religion,  must  have 
been  understood  as  intended  to  be  applied  also  to  the  children 
of  proselytes,  though  no  mention  was  made  of  children  in  the 
command. 

"  I  am  now  only  availing  myself  of  one  of  the  most  import- 
ant principles  of  interpretation,  *nd  attempting  to  show,  what 
influence  must  have  been  produced  upon  the  meaning  of  Christ's 
direction  by  the  circumstance  that  he  was  a  Jew,  and  that  he 
gave  the  direction  to  Jews,  whose  laws  and  usages  had  beep 
what  the  Scriptures  represent. 

"  But  to  illustrate  this  principle  still  farther;  suppose  it  to 
have  been  the  appointment  of  our  Savior,  after  his  public  min- 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  259 

istry  began,  that  circumcision  should  be  applied  to  converts  to 
Christianity,  as  it  had  been  to  converts  to  Judaism;  and  sup- 
pose him  to  have  said  to  his  Apostles ;  '  Go  ye,  proselyte  all 
nations,  and  circumcise  them,'  making  no  mention  of  children. 
Could  the  Apostles  have  doubted  a  moment,  in  such  a  case, 
whether  circumcision  was  meant  to  be  applied  to  the  children 
of  proselytes  ?  But  why  should  we  suppose  they  would  put  a 
different  construction  upon  the  commission  they  received  from 
Christ,  because  baptism  was  made  the  sign  of  proselytes,  instead 
of  circumcision?  There  is  evidently  nothing  in  the  import  of 
the  sign,  which  would  require  any  difference  in  its  application. 
For  baptism  is  appointed  simply  as  a  sign,  to  be  put  upon  those 
who  are  proselyted  to  Christianity.  If  circumcision  had  been 
continued,  and  Christ  had  commanded  it  to  be  put  upon  Chris- 
tian proselytes,  as  it  had  been  upon  proselytes  to  the  religion 
of  Moses ;  the  meaning  and  use  of  it  would  have  been  perfectly 
the  same,  as  the  meaning  and  use  of  baptism. 

"  Also  Dr.  Lightfoot  says  in  reply  to  this  objection,  raised  by 
our  Baptist  friends,  that  because  infants  are  not  expressly  men- 
tioned in  the  commission,  they  therefore  are  excluded:  'I 
answer,  it  is  not  forbidden  to  baptize  infants,  therefore  they  are 
to  be  baptized.  And  the  reason  is  plain;  for  when pedo-bap- 
tism  in  the  Jewish  church  was  so  known,  usual,  and  frequent 
in  the  admission  of  proselytes,  that  nothing,  almost,  was  more 
known,  usual,  and  frequent ;  there  was  no  need  to  strengthen 
it  with  any  precept,  when  baptism  was  now  passed  into  an 
evangelical  sacrament.  For  Christ  took  baptism  into  his  hands, 
and  into  evangelical  use,  as  he  found  it ;  this  only  added,  that 
he  might  promote  it  to  a  worthier  end  and  a  larger  use.  The 
whole  nation  knew  well  enough  that  little  children  used  to  be 
baptized,  there  was  no  need  of  a  precept  for  that  which  had 
ever  by  common  use  prevailed.  *  *  On  the  other  hand  there- 
fore there  was  need  of  a  plain  and  open  prohibition  that  in- 
fants and  little  children  should  not  be  baptized,  if  our  Lord 


2G0  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

would  not  have  had  them  baptized.  For  since  it  was  most 
common  in  all  preceding  ages  that  little  children  should  be 
baptized,  if  Christ  had  been  minded  to  have  that  custom 
abolished,  he  would  have  openly  forbidden  it.  Therefore  his 
silence,  and  the  silence  of  the  Scriptures  in  this  matter,  con- 
firms pedo-baptism,  and  continues  it  to  all  ages.' " 

"Are  not  these  arguments  perfectly  plain  and  unmistakable  !" 
exclaimed  Anna,  wholly  absorbed  in  the  discussion,  and  her 
countenance  lighted  up  with  joyous  intelligence,  as  if  having 
discovered  new  truths,  and  broader  fields  of  investigation. 
"Dr.  Woods,  and  Dr.  Lightfoot,  and  also  Dr.  Edwards  arrived 
at  the  same  conclusion  which  we  reached ;  and  all,  or  nearly  so, 
by  different  processes  of  reasoning;  and  each  process  strengthens 
the  others.  What  can  be  stronger — what  can  be  more  evident? 
And,  may  I  not  ask,  if  there  is  not  something  in  the  instruc- 
tions of  Christ,  which  are  of  &  positive  character  also,  and  such 
as  would  have  fully  satisfied  the  Apostles  in  what  light  he 
regarded  the  children  of  his  people,  and  how  he  would  have 
them  treated  ? 

"  In  Matt.  xix.  13  and  14,  it  is  recorded :  '  There  were 
brought  to  Jesus  little  children,  that  he  should  put  his  hands 
on  them  and  pray;  and  the  disciples  rebuked  them.  But  Jesus 
said,  Suffer  little  children,  and  forbid  them  not,  to  come  unto 
me :  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'  In  Luke  xviii. 
15,  it  is  said,  'And  they  brought  unto  him  also  infants,  that  he 
would  touch  tbem.'" 

"  In  the  passage  in  Luke,"  said  Ilalley,  "  tbe  Greek  word 
6p£$jj  (Lreplie)  is  used,  which  in  our  version  is  correctly  rendered 
by  the  word  infants,  as  it  means  very  young  children.  Now 
your  author,  Squire  Tanner,  takes  the  position  that  the  terms, 
'  kingdom  of  heaven,'  and  <  kingdom  of  God,'  mean  that  visible 
church  polity,  which  Christ  came  to  set  up,  called  his  church; 
but  seeing  a  weak  point  in  this  argument  here,  he  endeavors  to 
make  a  distinction   between    Christ's   kingdom   and   Christ's 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  261 

church  ;  which,  however,  is  a  distinction  with  no  difference. 
He  says  (see  Theodosia  Ernest,  vol.  ii.  p.  150)  :  'Baptism  is 
the  door  of  entrance  into  the  visible  kingdom,  and  through  the 
kingdom  into  the  church.'  And  yet  all  that  is  necessary  (see 
next  page,  151)  to  get  them  through  the  kingdom  into  the 
church,  is  to  shake  hands  with  them  !  The  mere  act  of  shaking 
hands  is  sufficient  to  shake  them  out  of  the  visible  kingdom 
into  the  visible  cnurch !  What  a  sublime  idea !  How  his  mind 
must  have  labored  with  such  a  thought!  How  finely  and 
effectually  he  has  thereby  shielded  himself  from  attack  and 
overthrow,  by  so  acutely  evading  the  force  of  the  Scripture 
teachings  in  this  argument,  founded  upon  his  own  premises ! 

"If  the  term  'kingdom  of  heaven'  means  Christ's  visible 
church,  then  Christ  has  declared  infants  to  be  members  of  it, 
and  we  receive  them  upon  his  express  command :  '  Suffer  them 
to  come  to  me ;  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven : '  for 
they  belong  to  my  church ;  and  consequently  the  argument  is  at 
an  end." 

"  Hold  !"  said  Tanner,  opening  his  eyes  wide  with  astonish- 
ment; "Christ  says  'of  such,'  that  is,  of  persons  like  them." 

"Ah!"  said  Halley,  "another  evasion!  Then  you  would 
paraphrase  it  thus :  '  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  for 
my  kingdom  belongs  not  to  them,  but  to  adults,  who  resemble 
them  in  spirit ! '  It  would  have  been  no  more  preposterous  to 
say  :  Suffer  doves  and  lambs  to  come  unto  me,  for  my  kingdom 
consists  not  of  them,  but  of  adult  persons  of  the  genus  homo, 
who  have  dove-like  and  lamb-like  tempers  !  Such  absurdity  is 
its  own  refutation  !  But  there  are  other  passages  in  which  the 
same  Greek  text  occurs  with  no  sensible  difference.  Anna,  take 
your  Bible,  if  you  please,  and  read  them.  You  will  find  many, 
but  need  read  only  two  now :  Matt.  v.  8,  and  v.  10." 

Anna  read  :  "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit ;  for  theirs  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  Matt.  v.  10  :  "  Blessed  are  they  which 
are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake ;  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven." 


262  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  1  suppose,"  continued  Halley,  "  you  would  have  it  read, 
Squire  Tanner,  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  does  not  belong  to 
the  poor  in  spirit,  but  only  to  such  as  resemble  them ;  does  not 
belong  to  those  who  are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake,  but 
only  to  those  who  are  like  them  in  temper ! " 

"  No  ! "  replied  Tanner ;  "  it  is  evidently  no  such  thing ;  and 
I  will  not  thus  trifle  with  God's  truth ! " 

"  Then  you  admit  that  Christ  pronounced  them  blessed, 
because  the  kingdom  of  heaven  belongs  to  such  :  in  like  manner 
also,  you  must  admit  that  Christ  said,  '  Suffer  little  children  to 
come  to  me/  because  the  kingdom  of  heaven  belongs  to  them. 
Make  what  you  will  of  these  passages ;  the  inspired  word  of 
God  declares  little  children  to  be  equally  entitled  to  the  privi- 
leges and  blessings  of  Christ's  kingdom,  with  the  'poor  in 
spirit,'  and  the  '  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake.'  There  is 
no  getting  round  this  truth.  A  critical  examination  of  the  text 
will  strengthen  this  rendering  beyond  the  shadow  of  a  doubt. 
The  Greek  word  -toiovtuv  (ioioutori),  rendered  in  our  version 
'  of  such,'  properly  denotes  the  nature  or  quality  of  the  thing 
to  which  it  is  applied,  and  is  equal  to  such  of  this  kind  or  sort. 
The  passage,  then,  literally  signifies,  that  to  such  children  as 
these  (for  they  had  believing  parents),  the  privileges  of  Christ's 
kingdom  belong.  Also  the  declaration  '  of  such  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,'  is  expressly  made  the  reason  for  suffering  little 
children  to  come  unto  him. 

"  In  all  Greek,  both  Hellenistic  and  Classic,  the  Greek  word 
yap  (jjai-)  is  used  to  denote  the  reason  of  what  has  been 
asserted  or  implied.  The  declaration,  then,  l  tuv  ya'p  toioitiov 
iativ  rj  paaiXfia  tuv  ovpavuv'  (tone  gar  toioutonc  estin  he  basilia 
tone  ouranone)  :  '  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven,'  must 
be  understood  as  furnishing  the  reason  why  little  children 
were  to  be  suffered  to  come  unto  Christ  (See  Woods  on  Infant 
Baptism,  pp.  65-76). 

"If  now  it  is  objected  that  the  expression,  'kingdom  of 


THE     INQUIRER    AFTER     TRUTH.  263 

heaven '  implies  the  kingdom  of  glory,  or  a  heavenly  state — as 
some  prefer  to  consider  it :  we  answer,  very  well ;  our  argument 
is  only  strengthened  by  this  view  of  the  passage.  For  if  our 
little  children  belong  to  the  kingdom  of  glory,  by  virtue  of 
their  relation  to  the  believing  parent,  and  through  the  all-suffi- 
cient atonement  made  by  our  Savior,  then  much  more  do  they 
belong  to  God's  visible  kingdom  on  earth,  and  we  may  by  right 
demand  the  seal  appointed  to  signify  that  interesting  relation. 
If  they  already  possess  the  thing  signified,  why  withhold  the 
sign  of  it  ?  What  right  have  you,  and  by  what  authority  do 
you  do  this  ?  Is  there  anything  in  the  nature  of  the  Christian 
church,  to  make  it  inconsistent  to  suppose  that  the  children  of 
believing  parents  are  to  have  a  part  in  it,  and  to  avail  them- 
selves of  its  blessings  and  privileges  ?  Does  not  the  church 
militant  belong  properly  to  those,  whom  the  great  Head  of  the 
church  has  declared  to  be  fit  subjects  for  his  church  triumphant '! 
Has  any  one  doubts  or  difficulties  on  this  subject?" 

Elder  Clayton  had  a  difficulty  in  his  mind,  and  after  a  few 
moments  of  silence  he  gave  it  expression,  and  said  with  a 
troubled,  perplexed  look :  "  But  Christ  did  not  baptize  these 
little  children ! " 

"Nor  did  he  baptize  adults,"  replied  Halley;  "but  he  did 
what  was  of  more  value,  of  far  greater  consequence,  than  the 
mere  application  of  water  to  them.  He  took  them  in  his  arms 
and  blessed  them  as  his  by  adoption ;  and  declared  that  they 
stood  in  the  same  relation  to  God  and  to  his  kingdom,  as  they 
had  ever  stood  since  the  first  organization  of  his  church  in  the 
family  of  Abraham.  By  taking  them  in  his  arms  and  publicly 
recognizing  them  as  subjects  of  his  kingdom,  he  certainly 
authorized  the  application  of  whatever  sign  or  seal  might  be 
appointed  to  distinguish  the  members  of  his  kingdom  from  the 
world.  And  I  would  ask  you,  Elder  Clayton,  what  evidence  an 
adult  believer  could  offer  in  relation  to  this  point  in  question,  more 
satisfactory  than  that  involved  in  the  relation  which  children,  by 


264  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

divine  appointment,  sustain  to  God's  everlasting  covenant?  In 
one  case  we  have  a  profession  of  repentance  and  faith,  which 
may  he  false,  and  made  from  the  basest  of  motives;  and  in  the 
other,  a  declaration  from  the  Master  himself,  that  '  to  such  the 
kingdom  of  God  belongs.'  Who  ever  offered  better  evidence 
of  his  fitness  for  baptism,  than  such  a  certificate  from  the  Great 
Head  of  the  church  ?  What  more  can  you  ask  ?  Now  look  at 
it !  On  the  very  ground  of  our  Baptist  brethren,  that  the 
'kingdom  of  heaven'  means  the  visible  church,  Christ  himself 
has  declared  that  children  have  a  right  to  its  privileges  and 
blessings — that  they  belong  to  it.  On  the  other  hand,  where  it 
is  maintained  that  the  term  '  kingdom  of  heaven '  means  the 
church  triumphant,  a  heavenly  state,  then  as  they  have,  been 
declared  members  of  that,  which  is  only  the  visible  church 
perfected,  only  a  transfer  to  a  heavenly  state,  to  be  with  its 
Head ;  then,  most  certainly,  they  can  by  right  demand  the 
enjoyment  of  its  privileges  here,  and  also  the  application  of  that 
seal  to  them,  which  the  Master  has  given  to  distinguish  his  fold 
from  the  world.  Their  parents,  as  their  guardians  in  infancy, 
who  belong  to  this  visible  church,  have  a  right  to  demand  this 
for  their  children.  It  is  not  only  their  right  to  do  this  for 
their  children,  but  an  imperative  duty,  and  they  are  responsible 
to  God  for  a  faithful  discharge  of  it." 

"  I  do'nt  see  how  we  can  question  their  fitness,"  said  Anna, 
"  unless  we  believe  them  '  children  of  wrath,'  and  that  they 
will  surely  be  damned,  if  they  die  in  infancy !  But  this  the 
Baptists  themselves  reject  as  a  horrid  thought!  If  we  believe 
them  heirs  of  heaven  until  they  rebel  by  actual  transgression, 
then  they  are  as  fit  subbjects  for  baptism  as  you  or  I;  and  far 
more  so,  for  they  have  not  that  load  of  guilt,  those  actual  trans- 
gressions upon  their  consciences  that  we  have.  And  Ave  are 
not  only  assured  that  they  are  fit  subjects,  but  Jesus  said, 
'  Suffer  them  to  come  unto  me.'  And  he  says  again  :  '  He  that 
cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  ivise  cast  out.'     The  Great  IShep- 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       2G5 

herd  who  '  gathers  the  lambs  in  his  arms,  and  carries  them  in 
his  bosom/  is  not  so  heartless  that  he  would  fain  cast  them  out, 
or  thrust  them  from  the  pale  and  privileges  of  his  church! 
George  Herbert  well  said  — 

"'Since,  Lord,  to  thee 
A  narrow  way  and  little  gate 
Is  all  the  passage;  on  my  infancy 
Thou  didst  lay  hold,  and  antedate 

My  faith  in  me.' " 

"  And  now,  Mr.  Halley,  will  you  please  tell  us  what  is  implied 
on  the  part  of  parents  when  they  present  their  child  for  bap- 
tism?" 

"  Before  angels  and  men,  they  give  up  their  child  to  God, 
renouncing  their  own  claim  to  dispose  of  it;  and  acknowledge 
that  it  was  originally  God's  gift,  and  is  now  laid  on  his  altar. 
They  offer  it  to  God  the  Father  as  its  Creator.  They  offer  it  to 
God  the  Son  as  its  Savior  and  Redeemer,  and  who,  for  it,  be- 
came in  his  incarnation  a  little  child  like  unto  it.  And  they 
offer  it  to  God  the  Holy  Ghost  as  its  Sanctifier;  of  whom  it  is 
born  in  the  Spirit,  and  thus  fitted  for  the  holiness  of  heaven. 
It  is  a  solemn  moment  on  the  part  of  the  parents  when  they 
take  it  from  the  altar.  They  have  given  it  to  God,  and  they 
now  bear  it  away  to  bring  it  up  for  him.  And  whenever  they 
look  upon  it  thereafter  their  feelings  are  to  be  expressed  by 
these  words  '  Lent,  not  given.'     Yes,  Lord  — 

'"Our  children  thou  dost  claim, 
And  mark  them  out  for  thine ; 
Ten  thousand  blessings  to  thy  name 
For  goodness  so  divine. 
Thy  covenant  may  we  keep, 
And  bless  the  happy  bands 
Which  closer  still  engage  our  hearts, 
To  honor  thy  commands. 

23 


2G6  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

Our  offspring,  still  thy  care, 
Shall  own  their  father's  God ; 
To  latest  times  thy  blessings  share, 
And  sound  thy  praise  abroad.' " 

"  What  are  the  obligations  which  this  consecration  of  the 
child  imposes  on  the  parents?"  asked  Anna. 

"  To  frequently  renew  the  dedication  of  the  child  to  God. 
To  begin  early  to  pray  with  the  child.  To  early  teach  it  the 
nature  and  meaning  of  baptism,  and  its  obligations  to  God. 
To  always  bear  in  mind  its  consecration,  and  their  covenant 
vows  when  deciding  questions  of  duty  in  governing  or  advising 
the  child.  And  what  is  implied  on  the  part  of  a  covenant- 
keeping  God  in  this  ordinance  cannot,  perbaps,  be  better  ex- 
pressed than  in  the  words  of  the  celebrated  Shepherd  of  Cam- 
bridge to  his  son  :  '  God  gave  thee  the  ordinance  of  baptism, 
whereby  God  is  become  thy  God,  and  is  beforehand  with  thee, 
so  that  if  thou  wilt  return  to  God,  he  will  undoubtedly  receive 
thee.' " 

"  There  is  a  fitness  in  this,"  said  Anna,  "  which  shows  the 
finger-prints  of  Jehovah.  And  do  you  think,  that  if  parents — 
all  Christian  parents  —  would  thus  consecrate  their  children, 
and  faithfully,  religiously  perform  the  obligations  it  imposes 
upon  them,  there  would  be  an  unconverted  child  in  the  families 
of  all  such  believers?" 

"  I  answer  with  the  most  perfect  assurance,"  replied  Halley, 
"that  there  would  not  be  one!  For  if  God's  people  kept  their 
part  of  the  covenant  unbroken,  God  could  not  violate  his  part 
of  it.  '  Yea,  let  God  be  true,  though  every  man  a  liar.'  It  is 
because  Christiana  take  such  obligations  upon  them  thought- 
lessly, or  in  ignorance  of  their  nature  and  importance,  and 
therefore  violate  almost  every  hour  of  their  lives  this  solemn 
covenant;  and  set  very  inconsistent  examples  before  their  fami- 
lies; so  that  thousands  of  baptized  children  are,  to-day,  lifting 
up  their  eyes  being  in  torment.    But  this  is  no  reason  or  excuse 


T11K    INQUIRER     AFTER    TRUTH.  267 

for  not  making  this  consecration  of  their  children  to  God.  It 
is  just  as  much  the  duty  of  those  who  do  not  have  their  chil- 
dren baptized  in  infancy,  to  train  them  up  for  the  Lord,  as  it 
is  of  those  who  set  out  to  do  the  will  of  their  Father  in  this 
respect,  and  endeavor  to  obey  God  herein  :  for  God  has  com- 
manded it.  And  if  tbey  do  not  appear  before  God  with  a 
broken  covenant,  they  will  appear  before  him,  having  broken, 
neglected  and  despised  his  commands.  Impressions  made  in 
early  life  by  parents  upon  their  children  are  potent  for  good  or 
evil,  and  can  never  be  effaced. 

'Heaven  lies  about  us  in  our  infancy.' 

"  John  Newton  testifies  that  in  the  midst  of  his  infidelity 
and  debauchery,  he  would  sometimes  seem  to  feel  the  pressure 
of  his  mother's  hand  upon  his  head,  though  long  since  dead ; 
and  when  she  prayed  with  him  he  was  too  young  to  understand 
her  words,  but  the  pressure  of  that  hand  followed  him  in  his 
manhood,  and  was  one  of  the  means  of  bringing  him  to  God. 
Truly, 

'  The  mother,  in  her  office,  holds  the  key 
Of  the  soul;  and  she  it  is  who  stamps  the  coin 
Of  character,  and  makes  the  being,  who  would  be  a  savage 
But  for  her  gentle  cares,  a  Christian  man.'  " 

"  If  we  dedicate  our  children  at  home,"  said  Squire  Tanner, 
"what  is  the  use  of  a, public  consecration  of  them?" 

"  I  will  ask  in  reply,"  said  Halley,  "  if  we  dedicate  ourselves 
to  God  in  our  closets,  what  is  the  use  of  a  public  profession  of 
religion  ?  " 

"  Why,  God  requires  it.  We  must  profess  Christ  before 
men ;  and  thereby  we  are  restrained  from  sin,  and  prompted  to 
duty.  The  remembrance  of  our  public  profession  acts  as  a 
monitor  in  the  Christian  life." 

"God  also  requires  the  other,"  replied  Halley;  "and  for 
precisely  the  same  reason  on  our  part.     The  recollection  of  it 


268  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

will  incite  to  greater  faithfulness.  Public  vows  have  tenfold 
more  effect  upon  the  mind  than  vows  made  in  private." 

"But  why  make  use  of  baptism  in  doing  it?"  asked  Tanner. 
"  Why  not  bring  them  to  the  house  of  God,  and  have  public 
prayers  for  them  without  the  ordinance  of  baptism  ?  " 

"And  I  ask  in  reply  again,"  said  Halley,  "why  do  we  use 
the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  when  we  desire  particularly 
to  remember  feelingly  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  to  call  to  mind  the 
most  forcibly  his  death  and  sufferings  ?  "Why  not  come  toge- 
ther, and  have  prayers  and  a  sermon  suitable  to  bring  the 
Savior  before  the  mind  ?  Why  you  answer :  there  is  some- 
thing in  the  sight  of  the  emblems,  and  the  taking  of  them  in 
our  hands,  which  affects  the  mind  more  deeply  than  anything 
else  can.  By  it  we  get  a  nearer,  clearer  view  of  the  atonement, 
than  in  any  other  way.  So  also  baptism  is  calculated  to  bring 
the  operation  of  the  Spirit  before  our  minds.  By  it  we  ac- 
knowledge our  need  of  him,  our  need  of  his  aid  to  help  us  in 
the  discharge  of  duty,  and  also  his  purifying  influences  upon 
the  heart  of  the  child.  And  further :  God  has  taught  us  and 
commanded  us  to  consecrate  them  to  him,  by  placing  upon  them 
the  seal  of  his  covenant ;  and  we  have  no  right  of  choice  in 
the  matter.  There  is  something  in  seeing  that  seal  placed  upon 
our  child  in  the  name  of  the  Triune  God,  that  is  more  impres- 
sive than  many  exhortations  and  prayers.  And  besides  having 
the  effect  to  make  the  parent  more  faithful ;  WE  know,  if  we 
fulfill  our  vows  toward  it,  that  it  secures  to  the  child  the  especial 
favor  of  God :  for  God  has  pledged  his  word,  and  he  cannot 
lie.     '  He  has  promised,  and  will  he  not  fulfill  V 

"Why  did  God  promise  Abraham,  '  I  will  be  a  God  to  thee, 
and  to  thy  seed  after  thee?'  God  himself  answers  the  ques- 
tion (Gen.  xviii.  10)  :  'For  I  know  him,  that  he  will  command 
his  children,  scud  his  household  after  him,  and  they  shall- keep 
the  %oay  of  the  Lord,  to  do  justice  and  judgment;  that  the  Lord 
may  bring  upon  Abraham,  that  which  he  hath  spoken  to  him/ 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  269 

God  is  under  no  obligation  to  fulfil  his  covenant  vows,  toward 
those  who  do  not  command  their  children  after  them,  and  keep 
the  way  of  the  Lord.  But  moreover,  it  secures  to  the  child 
the  prayers  of  the  church  at  the  time  of  baptism,  and  ever 
after  at  suitable  times,  in  circles  for  prayer,  till  the  child  grown 
to  a  proper  age  reconsecrates  himself,  and  sits  down  at  the 
Lord's  table;  and  God  has  encouragingly  styled  himself  a 
'  prayer-hearing  God/  and  also  a  '  prayer-answering  God.'  And, 
lastly,  it  affords  the  child  in  after  years,  strong  grounds  of  hope 
to  come  to  God ;  it  is  a  source  of  great  encouragement  at  the 
time  of  conversion — or  a  reconsecration  to  God — I  know  it  has 
been  to  me.  There  are  times  when  the  Spirit  of  God  is  striving 
with  us ;  when  anything  that  can  keep  the  soul  from  despair, 
and  quicken  faith,  is  of  great  importance.  At  such  times,  the 
recollections  of  a  parent's  faith  and  prayers,  and  the  united 
prayers  of  God's  people,  will  encourage  and  lead  a  despairing 
soul  to  look  up  and  plead  with  effect ;  0  God !  was  I  not  cast 
upon  thee  when  a  child  ?  Remember  thou,  0  Lord,  thy  cove- 
nant, for  art  thou  not  a  covenant-keeping  God  ?  I  confess  my 
waywardness  and  rebellion,  and  would  now  return  in  penitent 
submission  unto  thee,  who  art  the  God  of  my  fathers,  and  didst 
covenant  to  be  my  God,  till  by  my  transgression  I  rejected  thee ; 
yet  now  with  penitential  sorrow  and  tears  would  I  come  to  thee, 
and  beseech  thee  not  to  cast  me  off  in  thine  anger. 

"  Some  persons  think  that  baptism  is  a  profession  of  religion, 
and  for  this  reason,  they  must  be  baptized  when  they  make  a 
profession.  This  is  a  mistaken  idea.  Baptism  is  not  our  pro- 
fession to  God,  but  God's  profession  to  us.  It  is  his  seal,  the 
seal  of  his  covenant,  placed  upon  us.  It  is  a  common  error, 
that  the  baptism  of  children  makes  them  members  of  the 
church.  This  is  not  true.  The  children  of  believing  parents 
are  lorn  members,  and  baptism  is  but  a  recognition  of  that  right 
of  membership.  Their  membership  is  not  founded  on  their 
baptism,  but  their  baptism  on   their   membership.     God  or- 


270  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

dained  that  any  infant  which  should  not  he  circumcised,  l  that 
hould  bt  cut  off  from  his  people,'  because,  it  is  added,  'he 
hath  broken  ray  vow.'  Here  it  is  manifest  that  the  soul  cut  off 
in  consequence  of  non-circumcision,  must  previously,  and  in- 
dependent of  circumcision,  have  belonged  to  God's  people  — 
must  have  been  a  subject  of  the  covenant,  and  member  of  God's 
church ;  or  else,  how  could  he  be  cut  off,  or  be  said  to  have 
broken  his  vow  ?  Hence,  circumcision  was  but  the  recognition 
of  that  membership.  So  children  of  Christian  parents  are 
members  of  God's  visible  church  in  virtue  of  his  election 
of  them  through  Christ,  to  be  partakers  of  his  covenant  of 
Grace,  and  baptism  is  the  seal  of  that  covenant  —  the  vow  of 
fidelity  to  it,  and  of  course  a  public  recognition  of  their  meni- 
bership.  This  view  is  also  supported  by  the  proper  rendering 
of  1  Cor.  vii.  14,  '  Else  were  your  children  unclean,  but  now 
are  they  holy ;'  that  is,  now  held  as  members  of  the  Christian 
church." 

"I  rather  think  you  will  find  that  untenable  ground,"  said 
Tanner,  hastily  turning  the  leaves  of  his  book.  "Let  me  read 
a  little  to  you  of  what  Mr.  Graves  says  on  p.  216 :  'The  Jews, 
as  we  learn  from  Ezra  x.  3,  were  not  permitted  to  continue  in 
the  marriage  relation  with  their  Gentile  wives.  Xow  the  ques- 
tion had  come  up  in  the  Corinthian  church,  whether  a  Christian 
should  not,  under  a  similar  regulation,  separate  from  an  unbe- 
lieving and  idolatrous  companion.  But  if  such  unbelieving 
consorts  were  by  the  other's  faith  entitled  to  church  member- 
ship, and  had,  consequently,  been  baptized,  such  a  thing  as 
separation  on  this  ground  would  never  have  been  thought  of. 
It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  the  infidel  husband  or  the  infidel 
wife  were  not  baptized,  or  made  church  members.  There  is  in 
the  Scriptures  not  the  slightest  allusion  to  any  such  church 
members  made  by  the  faith  of  others,  and  not  by  their  own. 
These  persons  were,  therefore,  in  every  sense,  outsiders.  They 
had  no  more  connection  with  the  church  than  any  other  hea- 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  271 

thens  had.  But  the  Apostle  says  to  their  Christian  compa- 
nions, You  have  no  more  reason  to  discard  their  children,  for 
they  are  also  unbelievers,  and  without  the  pale  of  the  church. 
The  unbelieving  husband  and  the  unbelieving  wife,  and  your 
children,  not  their  children,  stand  in  the  same  category.  They 
are  all  without  the  church  —  all  unbaptized  —  and  thus  far,  all 
equally  unfit  associates.  But  as  your  children,  though  not  in 
the  church,  are  holy  to  you,  that  is,  fit  to  associate  with,  so  is 
the  unbelieving  husband  or  the  unbelieving  wife,  although  they 
are  also  out  of  the  church.  *  *  *  And  if  the  children  of  be- 
lieving parents  were  unbaptized,  it  was  a  Baptist  church  •  and 
if  the  church  at  Corinth  was  a  Baptist  church,  then  all  the 
churches  planted  by  the  Apostles  were  Baptist  churches.'  Now, 
Mr.  Halley,  that  is  what  I  call  a  perfect  demonstration !  I 
think  you  may  as  well  resign  that  text,  at  least." 

Halley  smiled  half  unconsciously,  and  said  that  by  and  by 
that  could  better  be  determined  upon ;  he  then  turned  to  the 
passage  in  his  Greek  Testament,  and  hastily  glanced  it  over. 
Every  eye  was  resting  on  him  during  this  interval  of  a  very 
few  moments  of  silence.  Looking  up  from  his  Greek  text,  and 
turning  toward  Squire  Tanner  with  a  clear,  steady,  and  earnest 
gaze,  he  said :  "  In  the  first  place,  permit  me  to  assure  your 
text-book,  that  we  do  not  claim  that  an  unbelieving  husband  or 
wife  is  entitled  to  baptism  on  the  faith  of  his  or  her  partner; 
nor  is  that,  by  any  means,  a  sequence  from  our  premises  " 

"I  think  you  speak  rather  contemptuously,"  said  Squire 
Tanner,  with  an  offended  air. 

"Not  at  all,  sir,"  said  Halley;  "but  as  all  present  might  not 
understand  the  connection  between  Mr.  J.  R.  Graves,  the  editor 
of  the  '  Tennessee  Baptist,'  and  that  fatherless  volume  you  hold 
in  your  hand,  I  thought  I  would  speak  so  as  to  be  understood. 
If  you  prefer  it,  then,  permit  me  to  assure  Mr.  Graves,  and 
through  Mr.  Graves  permit  me  to  assure  you,  that  that  is  not  a 
deduction  from  our  premises.     Our  position  is  that  God's  cove- 


272  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

nant  is  with  his  believing  people  and  their  children.  And  if 
either  parent  is  a  believer,  then,  through  the  faith  of  that  pa- 
rent, the  children  are  entitled  to  covenant  privileges.  His 
mixing  in  something  about  the  infidel  wife  and  the  infidel  hus- 
band being  church  members  on  the  faith  of  the  other,  is  done 
merely  for  effect  upon  those  who  might  not  have  discernment 
enough  to  discover  the  sophistry  of  his  argument,  and  it  is 
altogether  irrelevant  to  the  point  in  question. 

"  We  claim  that  we  are  taught  here  in  this  text  by  the  Apos- 
tle Paul,  that  by  the  faith  of  one  parent  the  children  are  made 
holy  in  that  sense  which  entitles  them  to  the  privileges  of  the 
church.  Calvin,  Wahl,  Whitby,  Knapp,  Doederlein,  Dod- 
dridge, Schleusner,  and  many  others,  render  this  passage  thus. 
Schleusner  says,  '  He  is  called  holy  who  is  to  be  numbered  with 
the  society  of  Christians.'  Wahl  says,  'It  is  spoken  of  one 
who  is  in  any  way  connected  with  Christians,  and  therefore  to 
be  reckoned  among  them.'  Dr.  Doddridge  says  —  and  with 
him  agree  the  great  mass  of  the  most  learned  and  distinguished 
commentators,  as  well  as  the  great  mass  of  the  Christian  world 
— '  On  the  maturest  and  the  most  impartial  consideration  of 
this  text,  I  must  refer  it  to  infant  baptism.'  And  indeed,  this 
is  the  natural  interpretation  of  the  passage;  and  the  most 
rigid  scrutiny  of  the  original  language  not  only  bears  out  this 
rendering,  but  condemns  every  other  which  has  been  advanced. 
So  strongly  does  the  natural  interpretation  prove  infant  baptism, 
that  its  opposers  have  felt  that  there  was  no  relief  but  to  set 
aside  the  proper  interpretation.  The  famous  Baptist  commen- 
tator Dr.  Gill,  supposes  the  Apostle  to  mean,  'Else  were  your 
children  illegitimate,  but  now  are  they  legitimate.'  The  ab- 
surdities of  this  gloss  are  many  and  palpable.  I  will  mention 
but  few.  The  Greek  words,  which  he  renders  here  '  illegiti- 
mate' and  'legitimate,'  have  no  such  meaning  anywhere  else  in 
the  Bible,  or  anywhere  in  classic  Greek;  it  is  never  used  in 
this  sense  by  any  Greek  author,  sacred  or  profane;  and  there- 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       273 

fore  is  of  course  a  sheer  fabrication  of  Dr.  Gill.  The  word 
axaQaprd  (aka(harta'),  which  he  renders  '  illegitimate/  means 
unclean  or  common,  and  has  its  usual  signification  in  Acts  x. 
14,  where  it  is  used  by  Peter.  So  also  dyid  (hagia),  which  he 
renders  '  legitimate/  means  holy,  set  apart,  consecrated,  as  in 
Luke  ii.  23,  where  the  same  word  is  used.  See  also  Ex.  xiii. 
12.  Also,  the  idea  that  piety  in  one  party  is  necessary  to  ren- 
der a  marriage  contract  valid,  is  so  ridiculous,  that  not  a  word 
need  be  said  to  refute  it ;  it  is  its  own  confutation ! 

"It  is  objected  by  Mr.  Graves,  that  if  the  children  being 
called  holy  makes  them  members  of  church,  then  the  unbeliev- 
ing husband  and  wife,  being  said  to  be  sanctified  (the  original 
word  is  ^-/(.'a<jr<u  (lugiasti),  which  means  to  be  regarded,  not  as 
unclean  —  not  as  an  idolator,  but  as  belonging  to  the  Christian 
community),  would  make  them  church  members  also,  and  enti- 
tle them  to  baptism  all  around.  Splendid  reasoning  this  !  It 
is  just  like  that  he  treats  his  readers  to  all  along.  For  instance, 
he  says,  repentance  and  faith  are  required  of  adults  in  order  to 
baptism ;  but  infants  cannot  have  these,  and  therefore  are  not 
fit  subjects  for  baptism.  There  is  no  logical  connection  here  at 
all.  He  has  confounded  the  two  distinct  classes,  infants  and 
adults.  We  reason :  The  Scriptures  require  repentance  and 
faith  of  adults  in  order  to  baptism,  but  some  adults  have  no 
repentance  and  faith,  and  therefore  some  adults  are  not  to  be 
baptized.  "We  put  no  more  in  the  conclusion  than  can  be  in- 
ferred from  the  premises.  Your  conclusion  must  not  be  over- 
drawn from  the  premises,  or  have  different  terms  than  are 
properly  predicated  in  your  premises ;  or  else  your  reasoning 
becomes  no  reasoning  —  only  a  specious  argument  to  the  undis- 
cerning  —  a  sophism  merely.  This  is  the  kind  of  reasoning 
your  author,  Squire  Tanner,  indulges  in  very  freely;  for  he  has 
learned  that  by  putting  one  thing  in  the  premises,  and  another 
entirely  different  in  the  conclusion,  he  can  thereby  assert  any 
absurdity,  however  glaring;  and  it  is  in  this  way  that  he  has 

s 


-71  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

raised  such  specious  objections  to  infant  baptism,  to  palm  off 
upon  the  ignorant. 

"  Now  in  that  same  passage  of  Scripture  before  referred  to, 
where  faith  and  repentance  are  required  of  adults  in  order  to 
salvation,  Mr.  Graves'  reasoning  must  inevitably  lead  to  this, 
that  infants  cannot  have  these,  therefore  infants  cannot  be 
saved.  Paid  says  :  '  If  any  one  (meaning  adults  of  course,  and 
those  able  to  work),  will  not  work,  neither  shall  he  cat.'  Mr. 
Graves  would  add,  Infants  cannot  work,  and  therefore  they 
shall  not  eat.  Says  Paul, '  Circumcision  verily  profiteth  if  thou 
keep  the  law'  (referring  to  those,  certainly,  who  can  keep  the 
law).  Says  Brother  Graves,  Infants  cannot  keep  the  law,  there- 
fore their  circumcision  is  unprofitable.  But  says  Paul,  '  If 
thou  be  a  breaker  of  the  law,  thy  circumcision  is  made  uncir- 
cumcision.'  Brother  Graves  would  say,  Infants  cannot  break 
the  law,  therefore  their  circumcision  is  not  made  uncircumcision 

—  that  is,  it  is  profitable.  Christ  says,  '  He  that  believeth  and 
is  baptized  (referring  only  to  those  who  are  able  to  believe), 
shall  be  saved.'  Brother  Graves  would  respond,  Infants  can- 
not believe,  therefore  they  shall  not  be  saved,  if  he  still  rea- 
soned as  usual ;  but  no,  that  does  not  subserve  his  purpose,  and 
so  he  says,  shall  not  be  baptized ;  which  in  fact  is  only  another 
variation  which  he  is  very  familiar  with,  and  falls  under  the 
same  general  class.  And  in  this  case,  his  argument  is ;  if 
children  being  called  holy,  entitles  them  to  baptism,  then 
adults  being  called  sanctified,  entitles  them  also  to  baptism ; 
which,  like  the  others  we  have  been  considering,  is  a  pure  so- 
phism, and  proves  nothing !  Its  fallacy  lies  in  the  idea,  that 
the  effect  produced  on  the  unbelieving  husband  or  wife  by  al- 
liance with  the  believing,  is  precisely  the  same  with  the  holi- 
ness which  children  derive  from  their  descent  from  believing 
parents.     But  the  supposition  is  altogether  without  foundation 

—  it  is  unwarranted.  We  grant  that  the  unbelieving  wife  or 
husband  is  not  to  be  called  unclean  or  an  idolater,  for  the  word 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  275 

of  God  says  so,  but  he  is  not  to  be  regarded  in  that  sense, 
which  shall  entitle  him  to  church  membership,  for  there  are  no 
such  conditions  in  God's  covenant;  and  therefore  it  would  be  a 
violation  of  it.  But  the  membership  of  infants  would  be  no 
violation  of  it,  provided  one  of  their  parents  be  numbered  with 
the  people  of  God.  In  view  of  the  covenant  and  this  expo- 
sition of  Paul,  it  would  be  but  a  natural  and  necessary  corollary. 
In  accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  covenant,  church-member- 
ship was  the  birthright  of  the  children  of  God's  people;  but  in 
no  case  was  it  allowed  on  the  mere  fact  of  intermarriage.  Paul 
in  this  argument  assumes  that  the  children  of  believers  are 
holy  and  clean.  But  was  that  true  ?  Ask  the  Bible  reader,  if 
it  was  true  in  accordance  with  the  meaning  the  Jews  gave  the 
term  ?  The  answer  is  in  the  affirmative.  The  Jews  were 
called  a  '  holy  people.'  Why  ?  Because  they  were  separated 
from  the  Gentile  world,  who  were  considered  unclean,  and 
directly  in  covenant  with  God.  The  word  '  holy,'  in  its  general 
sense,  meant  set  apart,  consecrated ;  and  it  and  unclean  were  ever 
converse  terms.  They  were  used  not  only  to  distinguish  Jews 
from  Gentiles,  but  also  anything  which  was  set  apart  from  a 
common  to  a  religious  use.  In  this  sense,  the  Sabbath-day  is 
called  holy,  likewise  the  vessels  of  the  temple,  the  vestments 
of  the  high-priests,  etc.  Thus  it  follows  that  the  children  of 
the  Jews  were  considered  by  the  Jews  as  holy,  and  the  chil- 
dren of  the  Gentiles  as  unclean.  This  understanding  of  terms 
actually  existed  in  the  minds  of  the  Jews ;  and  Paul  assumes 
this,  and  then  reasons  that  the  believing  husband  need  not  put 
away  his  unbelieving  wife ;  for,  as  paraphrased  by  Dr.  Woods, 
'  The  children  are  holy  in  the  sense  intended,  in  consequence  of 
the  influence  which  the  believing  wife  has  upon  the  unbelieving 
husband,  or  the  believing  husband  upon  the  unbelieving  wife. 
He  is  sanctified  by  her,  and  she  by  him ;  and  in  consequence  of 
their  sanctijication,  whatever  it  is,  the  children  are  holy.  With- 
out this  sanctification  of  the  unbelieving  by  the  believing,  the 


27G  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

children  would  be  unclean.  Suppose  now  husband  and  wife 
are  both  unbelievers.  The  sanctification  spoken  of,  whatever 
it  is,  does  not  exist;  of  course,  the  reason  or  cause  of  the  holi- 
ness of  the  children  does  not  exist — they  cannot  be  holy — they 
are  unclean.'  When  both  parents  were  believers,  the  children 
belonged  to  the  church  as  a  matter  of  course ;  but  now  when 
one  only  was  a  believer,  they  could  not  decide,  and  so  they  sub- 
mitted the  case  to  Paul,  and  he  assured  them  that  God  would 
reckon  the  children  to  the  believing  parent,  and  not  to  the  un- 
believing. It  is  enough  that  they  are  yours.  The  infidelity 
of  your  partner  shall  never  frustrate  their  interest  in  the  cove- 
nant of  your  God.     They  are  lioly  because  you  are  holy. 

"  But  in  this  investigation,  Squire  Tanner,  we  have  not 
found  that  the  children  of  believers,  at  Corinth,  were  unbap- 
tized.  And  it  is  too  bad,  on  account  of  the  glittering  air-bubble 
your  author  erected  on  that  supposition.  I  cannot  refrain  from 
holding  it  up  for  our  contemplation  a  moment,  ere  it  vanishes 
into  air.  Turn,  if  you  please,  to  page  218,  and  see  his  state- 
ment :  '  If  the  children  of  Corinth  were  unbaptized,  it  was  a 
Baptist  church  ;  and  if  the  church  at  Corinth  was  a  Baptist 
church,  then  all  the  churches  planted  by  the  Apostles  were 
Baptist  churches.'  That  I  think  is  the  substance  of  the  state- 
ment; and  here  we  have  truly  a  beautiful  little  edifice — spire, 
dome,  walls,  and  columns — very  beautiful  for  Baptist  eyes  to 
gaze  upon,  and  all  hung  upon  a  convenient  little  '  if.'  Turn 
it  around  and  gaze  upon  it!  0,  if  that  little  'if'  was  not  so 
precarious  a  support !  What  if  it  should  pull  out,  and  let  all 
down  in  a  crash  at  our  feet !  Suppose,  now,  I  hang  up  a 
'water-fowl'  on  the  same  loop!  I  will  capture  it  by  the  same 
process  of  reasoning  employed  by  Brother  Graves  in  discovering 
his  Baptist  churches,  and  I  desire  you  to  look  first  upon  the  one 
and  then  upon  the  other;  and  no  doubt  you  will  wonder  and 
admire  !  If  a  turtle  swims,  it  is  a  '  water- fowl ;'  and  if  it  is  a 
'  water-fowl/  then  all  birds  are  ' water-fowls  ! ' 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  277 

11  In  addition  to  what  has  already  been  adduced,  we  learn, 
by  an  examination  of  the  New  Testament  in  the  original  Greek, 
that  most  of  the  terms  applied  to  believers,  were  also  applied 
to  their  children.  They  used  the  most  affectionate  appellations; 
such  as  brother,  sister,  the  called,  the  elect,  holy  persons  or 
saints,  the  faithful,  etc.  These,  however,  were  given  to  none 
but  church  members.  The  one  most  frequently  and  extensively 
given  to  church  members  was,  '  the  faithful.'  This  remained 
their  title  for  several  centuries.  It  was  used  in  the  singular 
and  also  in  the  plural.  The  mother  of  Timothy  is  called  a 
faithful — Tttsr^j  (jristes).  Also  when  Lydia  was  baptized,  she 
said,  '  If  ye  have  judged  me  to  be  faithful '  a  faithful  (itiotriv)  : 
the  same  word  is  used  (see  Acts  xvi.  1—15).  This  is  the  femi- 
nine form  of  the  word ;  the  masculine  form  is  jtiaroj  and  rti{r6j> 
(pistos  and  piston).  In  1  Cor.  iv.  17,  Timothy  is  called  the 
'  faithful'  in  the  Lord  (rfiorox).  In  Eph.  i.  1,  Paul  sends  greet- 
ing to  the  '  faithfuls '  (rtarois),  in  Christ  at  Ephesus.  It  is  also 
used  in  the  plural  in  Acts  x.  45,  which  in  the  original  reads : 
'  And  they  were  astonished,  those  of  the  circumcision,  '  the 
faithfuls '  as  many  as  came  with  Peter,  etc' 

"  There  are  a  great  many  examples  all  through  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles  and  the  Epistles.  It  is  addressed  to  churches  as 
communities:  as  in  Eph.  i.  1,  Col.  i.  2,  etc.  From  this  it  is 
evident  that  to  call  an  individual  '  a  fa  it /if 'id'  in  that  age,  was 
equivalent  to  sa}-ing  that  he  was  a  Christian  brother,  or  a  disciple 
of  Jesus  Christ,  or  in  other  words  a  church  member.  Xow  if 
this  same  title  was  given  to  children,  they  were  distinctly 
recognized  as  members  of  Christ's  church. 

"  Paul,  in  describing  the  character  of  a  bishop,  represents 
him  as  being  l  the  husband  of  one  wife  and  having  children, 

WHICH   ARE    FAITHFULS.'      The    original    is    tixva.  ejjo*   Uinta. 

(tekna  echon  pista),  which  literally  translated  is, '  having  child- 
ren, the  faithfuls,'  or  '  having  faithful  children'   (See  Titus  i. 
6j.     The  Greek  word  xixvov  (te/aion,  a  child)  and  tixva  (tekna, 
24 


278  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

children),  say  Drs.  Gregory,  Robinson,  and  other  distinguished 
Baptist  writers,  means  '  minors  from  twenty  days  old  to  twenty 
years.'  I  may  add  that  this  Greek  word  is  used  in  the  same 
sense  as  we  use  the  word  '  child.'  Hence  we  may  learn  that 
the  membership  of  children  is  a  necessary  qualification  —  that 
is,  all  the  children  the  person  may  have,  whether  in  the 
tenderest  infancy  or  more  advanced  —  for  the  office  of  bishop. 
And  the  bishop  was  to  be  a  model,  an  exemplar,  to  the  church. 
It  was,  then,  not  only  required  of  the  clergy,  as  a  Christian 
duty  to  see  that  all  their  children  were  consecrated  to  God  as 
members  of  his  visible  church,  and  thereby  become  '  faithfuls;' 
but  also  as  a  Christian  duty  it  was  required  of  all  true  believers. 
A  neglect  of  this  duty  disqualified  them  for  prominent  places 
in  the  church,  as  thereby  they  evinced  a  defective  Christian  char- 
acter, and  were  not  worthy  of  imitation.  They  were  required 
to  have  their  children  constituted  '  faithfuls'  irrespective  of  age: 
none  were  too  young.  In  harmony  with  these  facts,  we  read 
that  Paul  sent  his  salutations  to  Priscilla  and  Aquila,  and  to 
the  church  in  their  family  (See  Rom.  xvi.  3  and  5).  Also  to 
Nymphas  and  to  the  church  in  his  family  (Col.  iv.  15).  Also 
to  Philemon  and  to  the  church  in  his  family  (Philemon  2). 

"  Now  the  illustrious  church  fathers  and  writers,  as  Chrysos- 
tom,  Theodoret,  Theophylact,  and  more  recently  Grotius,  and 
also  all  the  Greek  scholiasts,  maintain  that  the  families  of  these 
individuals  were  all  made  faithfuls,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
be  called  churches.  And  we  might  bring  forward  other  evi- 
dences— other  terms  which  were  applied  to  children  as  w<  11  as 
to  adult  church  members;  but  wc  have  said  enough  on  this 
point.  If  any  one  will  be  convinced  by  the  truth  at  all,  suffi- 
cient evidence  has  already  been  adduced  to  show  that  our 
statements  are  correct.  I  will  now  only  add  a  few  inscriptions, 
marking  the  last  resting-place  of  some  of  those  who  immediately 
succeeded  the  apostles.  George,  can  you  tell  me  what  the 
Catacombs  of  Rome  are?" 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       279 

u  It  is  supposed,"  answered  George,  "  that  excavations,  for 
building-stone,  were  commenced  near  Rome  long  before  the  age 
assigned  to  Romulus  and  Remus,  and  therefore  long  before  the 
Eternal  City  was  founded.  A  mighty  people  inhabited  this 
district  of  Italy  long  before  the  Romans,  and  built  those  massive 
Etruscan  tombs,  and  the  temples  in  Psestum,  which,  two  thou- 
sand years  ago,  the  Romans  were  accustomed  to  visit  as  antiqui- 
ties. These  ancient  quarries,  subterranean  quarries,  abound  in 
the  south  of  Italy,  at  Rome  and  Naples ;  and  also  are  traced  in 
Sicily,  in  Greece,  in  Asia  Minor,  and  in  nearly  all  the  Greek 
islands.  Those  at  Rome  are  very  extensive.  They  are  a  net- 
work of  excavations,  and  extend  to  the  distance  of  fifteen 
miles,  and  some  say  even  twenty.  They  are  a  perfect  labyrinth. 
Cicero  speaks  of  them  in  his  oration  for  Cluentius.  In  these 
caverns,  also,  Suetonius  tells  us,  Nero  was  advised  to  conceal 
himself  in  his  hour  of  danger ;  but  he  replied  that  '  he  would 
not  go  under  the  ground  while  living/  Before  and  after  the 
time  of  Nero,  these  catacombs  were  inhabited  by  those  con- 
demned to  work  there ;  and  also  afforded  a  safe  place  of  retreat 
in  times  of  disaster  and  persecution." 

"  What  connection  have  they  with  the  early  Christians  and 
the  primitive  church  ?  "  asked  Halley. 

"  They  were  their  dwelling-places  and  their  cemetery,"  re- 
plied George.  "  Father  Bosio  was  the  first  modern  writer  who 
turned  his  attention  to  them.  He  spent  more  than  thirty  years 
(1567  to  1600)  in  exploring  them,  penetrating  into  some  of  the 
innermost  crypts  which  had  been  closed  for  centuries,  and 
making  drawings  of  the  inscriptions.  Father  Boldetti  also 
spent  more  than  thirty  years  in  the  examination  of  the  tombs 
and  crypts  prior  to  1720.  M.  B'Agincourt,  an  ardent  student 
of  Christian  archaaology,  settled  in  Rome  near  the  close  of  the 
last  century,  intending  to  stay  six  months,  but  remained  fifty 
years  solely  occupied  in  these  investigations.  In  1846,  a  work 
appeared  in  England  entitled  'The  Church  in  the  Catacombs/ 


280  A  X  X  A    CLAY  T  OX;    O  B  , 

by  Charles  Maitland,  M.  D.,  and  also  in  this  country,  in  1854, 
a  small  work  called  the  '  Catacombs  of  Rome/  by  Rev.  William 
I.  Kip,  D.  D. 

"  By  these  investigations  it  is  shown  that  the  catacombs  were, 
throughout,  well  known  to  the  early  Christians ;  for  all  parts 
of  them  bear  trace  of  their  occupancy.  Says  Dr.  Kip :  '  For 
three  hundred  years  the  entire  Christian  population  of  Rome 
found  sepulture  in  these  recesses.'  Chrysostom  and  Prudentius 
speak  of  them  as  the  dwelling-places  of  the  Christians  during 
the  persecutions  in  the  first  age  of  the  Christian  church. 
Jerome,  in  the  middle  of  the  fourth  century  (about  850),  speaks 
of  visiting  them  whilst  a  youth  at  Rome.  He  called  them  '  the 
Sepulchres  of  the  Apostles  and  Martyrs.'  After  the  persecu- 
tions, in  the  reign  of  Constantine  (after  306),  three  centuries 
having  passed  by,  Christianity  emerging  from  these  dark 
recesses,  walked  boldly  on  the  surface  of  the  earth,  beneath 
which  she  had  so  long  been  glad  to  seek  concealment.  Here 
in  these  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth,  for  two  hundred  years 
(from  the  death  of  the  Apostles),  was  probably  the  most  per- 
fect representation  of  the  Apostolic  church.  Here  were  the 
doctrines  and  teachings  of  the  Apostles  preserved  in  their 
primitive  simplencss  and  purity.  At  least,  so  say  they  who 
have  made  this  subject  a  life-study,  and  who  understand  it  the 
best." 

"Very  well,  then,"  said  Halley,  "if  there  is  any  practice  or 
doctrine  to  be  learned  from  their  relics  and  their  inscriptions, 
wc  may  be  pretty  well  assured  that  it  is  Apostolic  in  its  nature 
and  character.  Persecutions  have  a  tendency  to  purify  a 
church,  and  to  keep  it  pure;  and  we  know  that  during  its  whole 
history  in  these  retreats  it  was  in  the  midst  of  the  mo.-t  violent 
persecutions.  We  find  these  early  inscriptions  rude  and  charac- 
terized by  the  utmost  simplicity.  We  here  find  numerous 
epitaphs  of  children,  who  are  called  'faith/tils'  and  'neophytes,' 
titles  which  could  not  have  been  bestowed  upon  them  unless 


THE    INQUIRES    AFTER    TRUTH.  281 

they  had  been  received  by  baptism  into  the  Christian  church. 
The  age  at  which  they  died,  of  course,  precludes  the  idea  of 
that  rite  having  been  administered  to  them  in  any  way  but  as 
infants.  I  will  read  some  of  these  inscriptions  and  epitaphs 
from  some  of  the  works  which  George  has  referred  to  on  this 
subject. 

"1.  'To  Komanus,  the  well-deserving  neophyte,  who  lived 
eight  years.'  2.  '  Flavia  Jovina,  who  lived  three  years  and 
thirty  days,  a  neophyte.  In  peace  (she  died)  the  eleventh  ka- 
lends.' 3.  'The  tile  of  Candidus,  the  neophyte,  who  lived 
twenty-one  months,  buried  on  the  nones  of  September.'  4.  '  A 
faithful  descended  from  ancestors  who  were  faithfuls.  Here 
lies  Zosimus ;  he  lived  two  years,  one  month,  and  twenty-five 
days.'  This  inscription  bore  the  symbol  of  the  fish  and  the 
anchor,  which  mark  the  period  of  a  primitive,  suffering  Chris- 
tianity—  probably  the  first  century  after  the  Apostles.  5. 
'  Cyriacus,  a  faithful,  died  aged  eight  days  less  than  three  years.' 
7.  '  Uriea  Florentina,  a  faithful,  rests  here  in  peace.  She  lived 
five  years,  eight  months,  and  eight  days.'  8.  'Maurentius,  son 
of  Maurentia,  a  most  pleasing  child,  who  lived  five  years,  ele- 
ven months,  and  two  days,  worthy  to  repose  in  peace  among 
holy  persons.'  9.  '  Sacred  to  the  Great  God.  Leopardus  rests 
here  in  peace  with  holy  spirits ;  having  received  baptism,  he 
went  to  the  blessed  innocents.  This  was  placed  by  his  parents, 
with  whom  he  lived  seven  years  and  seven  months.'  10.  '  Bu- 
filla,  newly  baptized,  who  lived  two  years  and  forty  days.'  11. 
'  To  Domitius,  an  innocent  newly  baptized,  who  lived  three  years 
and  thirty  days.'  There  are  many  others  which  might  be  added 
to  this  list,  but  it  is  not  necessary. 

"Now,  Squire  Tanner,  please  look  at  the  charges  made  by 
your  author  on  pp.  299,  302,  304,  and  309 ;  and  consider  the 
spirit  —  the  bitterness  of  feeling  —  in  which  they  are  made. 
He  says  that  infant  baptism  is  'a  heinous  sin,'  'an  act  of  daring 
rebellion  against  God,'  '  a  continually  repeated  falsehood ','  '  high- 
24* 


282  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

handed  rebellion  against  the  Son  of  God,'  '  imp  ions ,'  'an  act 
of  impious  sacrilege!'  Remember  that  these  charges  were 
made  by  a  man  —  professedly  a  Christian  man,  and  a  minister 
of  the  everlasting  Gospel  —  with  the  word  of  God  in  his  hand! 
Remember  that  he  was  denouncing,  by  virtue  of  his  office,  in 
the  name  of  God,  an  institution  of  God's  own  appointment,  and 
to  which  he  has  affixed  his  seal !  Remember  that  God  created 
the  relation  of  children  to  parents,  and  also  the  relation  of 
children  to  his  church,  and  made  special  mention  of  them  in 
his  covenant  with  his  people,  and  comprehended  them  in  all 
his  promises ;  and  declared  again  and  again  that  this  relation 
should  be  unending,  his  covenant  should  be  everlasting ;  and 
yet  this  man,  without  showing  one  annulling  or  repealing  clause 
of  this  covenant  in  all  God's  word,  but  with  many  confirma- 
tions of  it  staring  him  in  the  face ;  without  one  passage  in  the 
whole  Bible  in  any  way  reflecting  upon  the  consecration  of 
children  to  God,  and  upon  the  giving  to  them  the  seal  of  this 
covenant,  as  he  directed  should  be  done ;  with  the  words  of 
Christ  before  him,  '  that  his  kingdom  belongs  to  them ;'  and 
also  in  the  face  of  all  the  testimony  of  the  early  Christians, 
which  has  been  preserved  in  various  waj-s  to  us  —  an  unbroken 
chain  from  the  Apostles  down ;  in  the  very  face  and  teeth  of 
all  these  evidences,  he  utters  such  charges  as  those  I  have  men- 
tioned !  The  charges  themselves  are  '■impious;'  ay,  more! 
But  as  he  is  dealing  with  God's  institutions,  and  not  man's,  let 
God  here,  and  not  us,  be  his  Judge ! " 

A  few  moments  of  impressive  silence  followed,  which  was 
first  broken  by  Anna's  slowly  and  thoughtfully  asking,  ""What 
do  you  say  of  the  household  baptisms  mentioned  in  the  New 
Testament,  Mr.  Halley  ?  " 

"  I  say  they  are  strong  corroborative  testimony  of  our  posi- 
tion," answered  Halley.  "Granting  that  infant  or  household 
baptism  was  a  common  practice,  it  is  thought  by  some  an  objec- 
tion that  there  are  so  lew  cases  mentioned.     But  this  arises 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  283 

entirely  from  a  superficial  view  of  the  matter.  Indeed,  I  have 
heard  it  urged  by  some  people,  that  there  are  but  three  such 
cases  recorded  in  the  New  Testament  —  those  of  Lydia,  the 
jailor,  and  Stephanas.  But  I  think  a  careful  examination  will 
afford  more  than  these  : 

"  1.  Acts  x.  1—48,  is  an  account  of  the  baptism  of  the  house- 
hold of  Cornelius. 

"  2.  Acts  xvi.  15,  of  the  family  of  Lydia. 

"3.  Acts  xvi.  33,  of  the  jailor. 

"4.  I.  Cor.  i.  16,  the  household  of  Stephanas.  All  these 
are  expressly  mentioned  as  baptized ;  and  the  language  used 
indicates  that  they  were  of  frequent  occurrence.  The  case  of 
Lydia,  for  instance:  'And  when  she  was  baptized  and  her 
household,  she  besought  us,'  etc.  It  is  recorded  as  a  common 
and  familiar  event,  and  as  the  direct  consequence  of  her  own 
faith  and  profession,  as  the  mother  of  the  family.  There  can 
be  no  doubt  that  hundreds  of  families,  embracing  perhaps  thou- 
sands of  children,  were  baptized  on  the  heads  of  them  having 
become  converted  to  the  Christian  faith.  But  we  were  search- 
ing for  the  believing  families  on  record  in  the  apostolic  age. 

"  5.  Rom.  xvi.  3-5,  the  family  of  Aquila  and  Priscilla. 

"  6.  Col.  iv.  15,  that  of  Xj-mphos. 

"7.  Philemon  2,  is  that  of  Philemon. 

"  8.  Acts  xviii.  S,  that  of  Crispus. 

"9.  II.  Timothy  i.  16-18,  that  of  Onesiphorus. 

"  10.  Piom.  xvi.  10,  that  of  Aristobulus. 

"11.  Rom.  xvi.  11,  that  of  Narcissus.  Xow  here  are  eleven 
believing  families  expressly  mentioned,  and  of  course  have  all 
received  Christian  baptism,  be  they  infants  or  adults.  Those 
capable  of  believing,  doubtless  believed.  Says  Dr.  Kurtz,  and 
a  similar  statement  is  made  by  Lyman  Coleman :  '  Have  we 
eleven  instances  of  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper? — 
not  a  fourth  of  that  number.  Have  we  eleven  instances  of  the 
change  of  the  Jewish  Sabbath?  —  not  a  fifth  of  that  number. 


284  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

In  fact,  there  is  not  a  single  doctrine,  principle,  or  practice 
derived  from  the  example  of  the  Apostles,  which  can  be  sup- 
ported by  a  more  numerous  series  of  clear  and  decided  prece- 
dents.' He  further  says,  after  a  critical  examination  of  the 
Greek  term  61x6s  (oikos),  'which  corresponds  with  hmisc  or 
family  in  English,  and  also  of  oixia  (oiMa),  corresponding  with 
our  idea  of  household:  'Strictly  speaking,  there  is  not  a  single 
instance  on  inspired  record  of  the  baptism  of  an  entire  house- 
hold as  such;  though  individuals  comprising  it  may  have  been 
baptized  as  individuals.  We  are  therefore  narrowed  down  in 
this  investigation  to  the  Greek  term  o?xoj,  in  the  sense  of 
family;  and  with  this  word  it  perfectly  corresponds,  and  should 
have  always  been  so  rendered  when  used  in  relation  to  family 
baptism.  Such  a  translation  would  have  prevented  all  error  on 
the  subject  of  infant  baptism.  There  can,  correctly  speaking, 
be  no  family  without  children.  A  man  and  his  wife  do  not 
constitute  a  family,  any  more  than  a  single  gentleman  who 
dwells  under  the  same  roof  with  his  maiden  sister.' 

"  Let  us  now  keep  this  in  mind  as  we  glance  hastily  over  the 
family  baptisms  spoken  of  in  the  Xcw  Testament.  When  the 
Apostle  says  (Acts  xvi.  31), '  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved  and  thy  house,'  he  uses  the  word  olxos, 
which  means  only  his  oicn  family —  children  only.  But  in  the 
next  verse  (Acts  xvi.  82),  '  And  they  spake  unto  him  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  and  to  all  that  were  in  his  house;'  here  oixia 
(oikict)  is  used,  and  olxd;  (oikos)  is  dropped.  The  substitution 
of  oixia  in  the  place  of  olxos,  shows  that  the  Apostle  intended  to 
make  a  distinction  between  those  who  heard  and  those  who  were 
baptized.  The  word  used  signifies  household ;  that  is.  servants, 
domestics,  prisoners  —  all  wdio  were  living  in  the  house.  It 
adds,  'And  was  baptized,  he  and  all  his;'  namely,  his  children; 
and  there  is  no  evidence  that  any  others  were  baptized  at  the  time 

''  In  Acts  xvi.  15,  the  baptism  of  Lydia  is  recorded. 
Although  it  is  rendered,  '  when  she  was    baptized    and    her 


the   i  n  quiri:r   a  r  t  e  it   x  u  o  x  n  .  285 

household/  the  Greek  word  oixoj  is  used,  -which  limits  it  to 
children,  and  it  should  have  been  so  rendered.  Says  Dr. 
Kurtz  :  '  It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  the  very  best  of  all  ver- 
sions, namely,  the  Syriac,  which  was  probably  of  the  first 
century,  reads,  that  "  when  she  (Lydia)  was  baptized  wiih  her 
children*,"  etc.  The  Coptic  version  gives  the  same  reading 
of  this  passage/  It  has  frequently  been  objected  that  her 
household  consisted  of  those  brethren  spoken  of  in  the  40th 
verse,  who  were  comforted  by  Paul  and  Silas.  But  the  original 
tongue  is  not  household,  but  family,  and  limits  the  meaning  to 
children;  hence  the  objection  is  not  a  valid  one.  It  has  also 
been  urged  by  our  brother  Baptists,  that  Lydia  was  a  widow 
lady,  or  an  old  maid  ( any  way  to  avoid  the  probability  of  a 
family  of  children),  and  that  her  household  consisted  of  partners 
in  her  mercantile  operations.  But  this  objection  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Slicer  has  answered  so  perfectly  and  satisfactorily,  that  I  can- 
not refrain  from  repeating  his  words.  '  They  will  suppose/ 
says  he,  -  that  even  partners  in  business  with  Lydia,  or  journey- 
men dyers,  were  baptized  and  constituted  brethren  •  although 
there  is  no  intimation  that  she  had  so  much  as  one  partner,  or 
one  journeyman ;  and  if  she  had  (which  we  think  very  un- 
likely), then  they  were  baptized  and  made  brethren  without 
grace  •  for  the  passage  makes  no  mention  of  the  heart  of  any 
person  being  opened  except  Lydia's  ;  and  there  is  no  intimation 
that  these  journeymen  either  repented  or  believed,  and  of 
course  could  not  have  received  a  believer's  baptism.  I  appeal 
to  you,  reader,  to  judge  who  would  be  the  most  fit  for  baptism, 
the  children  of  a  believing  mother,  or  a  household  of  graceless 
journeymen  dyers .' '  But  again  I  repeat  the  Greek  term  is  not 
household  hut  family,  and  that  cuts  off  all  -  partners  in  business 
and  journeymen  dyers.'  She  was  baptized  and  her  family,  that 
is,  her  children. 

"  Similar  objections  are  urged  by  our  Baptist  friends  to  the 
other  family  baptisms.     They  insist  that  there  was   not  one 


286  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

infant  or  young  child  in  all  these  families  of  children.  How 
do  they  know?  Is  it  at  all  probable?  How  many  entire 
families  have  they  on  their  church  records,  parents  and  child- 
ren, received  at  one  and  the  same  time  and  baptized  on  profes- 
sion of  faith?  I  venture  to  affirm  that  they  have  not  one! 
Was  it  ever  known  that  under  the  ministrations  of  a  Baptist 
brother,  parents  of  families  were  hopefully  converted,  and 
were  baptized,  they  and  all  theirs,  straightway  ?  There  is  no 
risk  in  asserting  that  &  family  baptism  never  occurred  under 
the  labors  of  a  Baptist  minister.  Says  Dr.  Wardlaw,  '  It  is  a 
remarkable  fact  that  we  have  no  mention  of  anything  resem- 
bling the  baptism  of  households,  of  families,  in  the  accounts 
of  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel  by  our  Baptist  brethren. 
That  the  Apostles  baptized  families,  no  believer  of  Scripture 
can  doubt,  and  we  have  seen  that  the  manner  in  which  such 
baptisms  are  recorded,  or  referred  to,  indicates  no  extraordinary 
thing.  Xow  it  surely  is  an  extraordinary  thing  that  in  the 
journals  and  periodical  accounts  of  Baptist  missions  in  heathen 
countries,  we  should  never  meet  with  anything  of  the  kind.  I 
question  whether  in  the  thirty  years  of  the  history  of  the 
Baptist  missions  in  India,  there  is  to  be  found  a  single  instance 
of  the  baptism  of  a  household.  When  do  we  find  a  Baptist 
missionary  saying,  '  When  she  was  baptized  and  her  family ; ' 
or  'I  baptized  the  family  of  Krishnoo,'  or  any  other  convert? 
We  have  the  baptism  of  individuals,  but  nothing  corresponding 
to  the  apostolic  baptism  of  families.  This  fact  is  a  strong  cor- 
roborative proof,  that  there  is  some  difference  between  their 
practice  and  that  of  the  Apostles.  If  the  practice  of  both  were  the 
same,  there  might  surely  be  expected  some  little  correspondence 
in  the  facts  connected  with  it'  (See  Dissertation  on  Infant 
Baptism,  p.  109). 

"  Here  is  another  little  volume  (Law  of  Baptism,  by  Rev. 
Edwin  Hall,  p.  167)  from  which  I  would  like  to  read  a  passage. 
He  says :  '  The  Sabbath  was  instituted  at  the  creation,  and 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  287 

though  weeks  are  mentioned  in  the  sacred  history,  the  Sabbath 
is  not  again  mentioned  till  Closes.  Yet  how  important  the 
Sabbath  was  considered  in  the  sight  of  God,  is  well  known. 
Again  it  is  not  mentioned  from  the  time  of  Joshua  till  the  reign 
of  David;  and  yet  (as  says  Dr.  Humphrey)  "It  will  be  ad- 
mitted, that  beyond  all  doubt,  the  pious  judges  of  Israel  remem- 
bered the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  hoi}-."  Moreover  the  Bible 
says  nothing  of  circumcision  from  a  little  after  Moses  till  the 
days  of  Jeremiah,  a  period  of  eight  hundred  years ;  yet,  doubt- 
less, circumcision  was  practised  all  the  time.  In  like  manner 
our  Missionary  Herald,  each  volume  of  which  is  twenty  times 
as  large  as  the  book  of  Acts,  is  now  in  the  progress  of  the  thirty- 
sixth  volume  (1840).  In  the  whole  of  these,  containing  the 
journals  of  so  many  missionaries,  narrating  every  important 
incident  with  so  much  minuteness,  and  continued  for  so  many 
years,  there  are  very  few  instances  mentioned  of  Infant  Bap- 
tism. I  have  not  the  means  at  hand  of  ascertaining  how  many, 
but  though  I  have  been  familiar  a  long  time  with  them,  and 
have  long  observed  the  fact  with  some  curiosity,  and  have  espe- 
cially examined  not  a  little,  I  am  not  able  to  find,  or  to  call  to 
mind,  more  than  a  very  few  instances  previously  to  the  last  two 
years.  But  we  know  the  missionaries  of  the  American  Board 
are  all  Pedobaptists.  The  paucity  of  these  records  of  infant 
baptism  in  their  letters,  does  not  prove  that  they  do  not  bap- 
tize infants ;  we  know  they  do,  and  once  in  a  while  the  fact  is 
mentioned ;  but  it  is  rare,  though  their  converts  amount  to  many 
thousands.  Suppose  now,  that,  at  the  present  time,  you  find  a 
pamphlet  of  some  twenty  or  thirty  pages,  like  a  single  monthly 
number  of  the  Missionary  Herald,  only  half  as  large,  covering 
the  ground  of  some  fifty  years,  and  giving  an  account  of  the 
doings  of  some  missionaries  of  whom  you  have  never  heard 
before.  The  question  is  asked,  are  the}'  Baptist  missionaries,  or 
do  they  baptize  the  infant  children  of  believing  parents  ?  On 
examining  the  pamphlet,  we  find  such  records  as  these :  "  At 


288  ANNA    CLAYTON;    0  E, 

such  a  time  I  baptized,  in  the  night,  a  jailor  and  all  his."  At 
such  a  time  "  Lydia  and  her  household."  At  such  a  time  "  I 
baptized  also  the  household  of  Stephanas : "  nothing  is  said  as 
to  whether  they  were  all  adults,  or  whether,  as  is  more  common, 
there  were  children  in  these  households.  Only  this  is  certain, 
that  if  there  were  children,  they  were  certainly  baptized. 
Suppose  further,  that  at  this  crisis  we  discover  copious  letters 
of  these  missionaries,  written  to  these  converts  from  heathenism, 
in  which  they  use  the  term  household  just  as  we  do  the  word 
family.  Arc  they  Baptist  missionaries  ?  The  presumption  is 
they  are  not.  You  find  a  difficulty  that  must  be  removed  before 
you  can  believe  that  they  are  Baptists.  Moreover  you  take  the 
journals  of  the  Baptist  missionaries  of  fifty  or  a  hundred  times 
the  size  of  this  newly-discovered  pamphlet,  and  a  hundred 
times  more  full.  You  do  not  learn  that  they  ever  give  an  ac- 
count of  the  baptism  of  a  single  household,  though  you  can 
understand  how  desirable  it  would  be  to  make  such  a  record  as 
frequent  in  their  journals  as  possible;  and  how  readily  they 
would  be  brought  forward  in  argument  as  often  as  they  might 
occur.  You  make  another  discovery,  viz. :  that  these  unknown 
missionaries  consider  the  Abrahamie  and  Christian  church  the 
same.  Now  let  one  passage  be  found  in  a  single  letter  of  theirs 
to  one  of  their  churches,  gathered  from  heathenism,  to  this 
effect :  "  The  unbelieving  wife  is  sanctified  by  the  husband, 
and  the  unbelieving  husband  is  sanctified  by  the  wife,  else  were 
your  children  unclean  but  now  are  they  holy ; "  let  it  be  proved 
that  they  familiarly  use  these  terms  in  the  Jewish  sense  —  let 
but  one  such  passage  as  this  be  found,  and  the  question  is 
settled,  tlu-y  baptize  children.  Who  could  ask  for  more  con- 
vincing proof,  unless  he  is  determined  that  nothing  shall  prove 
it,  save  an  express  declaration  in  so  many  words — or  a  miracle  ? 
I  might  appeal  to  any  man  accustomed  to  sifting  and  weighing 
evidence  in  our  courts  of  justice,  Is  not  this  valid  proof  of  the 
fact  ?     Were  it  a  question  of  fact  to  be  decided  by  mere  im- 


TIIE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  289 

partial  jurors  in  our  courts  of  law,  whether  these  missionaries 
practised  infant  baptism,  could  there  be  a  doubt  how,  on  this 
evidence,  the  question  would  be  decided  ?  Could  there  be  a 
doubt  that  the  verdict  would  be  These  men  believed  in  in- 
fant baptism  and  practised  IT?'  The  case  is  submitted 
to  you,"  said  Halley,  as  he  closed  the  little  volume  he  had  been 
reading  from.  "  Is  not  the  evidence  convincing — so  conclusive 
that  it  does  not  admit  of  a  shadow  of  doubt  ?  " 

"  0,  yes  ! "  said  Tanner,  hitching  uneasily  in  his  chair ;  "  cir- 
cumstantial evidence,  and  very  good  of  its  kind ;  but  still  it  is 
not  positive  testimony  !  I  like  -positive  testimony.  If  one  of 
the  Apostles  had  only  jotted  down,  that  at  such  a  time,  I  bap- 
tized an  infant  belonging  to  such  a  one,  why  there  would  then 
be  no  doubt  in  the  matter  —  no  getting  around  that." 

"  Do  you,  Squire  Tanner,  act  upon  p>ositive  testimony  in  your 
transactions  of  business  ?  Is  your  Christian  faith  founded  upon 
positive  testimony  ?  Is  there  no  possibility  of  a  doubt  coming, 
in  all  you  do,  and  in  all  you  believe  ?  Has  God  seen  fit  to  give 
positive  evidence  to  free  moral  and  intelligent  beings,  to  guide 
them  in  their  duty  toward  him  and  to  their  fellow -men  ?  If 
such  was  the  case,  would  this  be  a  proper  state  of  discipline 
and  moral  training  ?  In  all  you  do,  sir,  in  every  department 
of  life,  you  act  upon  pi'obabilities  only  !  Your  whole  life  and 
its  various  transactions,  and  all  your  doubts  and  beliefs,  are 
grounded  upon  probable  or  circumstantial  testimony.  Are  you 
to  prescribe  to  God  how  he  shall  govern  his  moral  universe  ? 
Will  you  tell  the  Most  High  that  because  he  has  not  given  you 
positive  evidence  of  his  being  and  attributes,  therefore  you 
will  not  believe  that  he  is ;  but  will  thrust  him  out  of  his  own 
realm  ?  Ought  we  not  to  be  satisfied  with  tchatever  kind  of 
evidence  God  may  see  proper  to  give  us?  If  it  is  convincing, 
and  has  the  weight  of  probabilities  in  its  favor,  what  more  can 
we  ask  ?  What  more  should  reasonable  and  intelligent  crea- 
tures desire  ?  But,  sir,  if  you  act  upon  positive  evidence, 
25  t 


200  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

point  me  to  a  single  example  of  the  baptism  of  an  adult  horn 
of  Christian  parents,  and  I  will  point  you  to  scores  of  examples 
of  infant  baptism  !  Do  you  accept  the  challenge  ?  It  is  a  fair 
one.  If  the  children  of  believers  did  not  receive  baptism  in  in- 
fancy, they  must  have  received  it  when  converted,  or  they  re- 
mained without  it.  But  where  do  we  find  on  inspired  record  a 
solitary  example  of  an  individual,  born  of  Christian  parents, 
who  was  baptized  as  a  believing  adult?  What  was  his  name? 
Who  were  his  parents  ?  Now  this  is  very  remarkable,  when  we  re- 
member that  the  New  Testament  embraces  a  period  of  more  than 
sixty  years,  and  there  were  at  least  two  or  three  generations  of 
children  during  this  time.  What  became  of  these  thousands 
of  children,  if  they  were  not  baptized  in  infancy?  Did  they 
all  die  infidels?  No  —  by  no  means  !  We  read  of  some  of 
them  believing ;  but  when  were  they  baptized  ?  Answer  my 
question,  and  I  will  answer  yours,  and  with  positive  proofs  as 
you  desire.  From  this  silence  of  the  inspired  word  on  this  sub- 
ject, I  could  raise  as  strong  an  argument  against  the  baptism 
of  adult  children  of  believers,  on  profession  of  their  faith,  as 
you  do  against  the  baptism  of  infant  children  of  believers,  who 
are  not  capable  of  exercising  faith.  The  reasoning  would  be 
exactly  the  same.  Demanding  positive  testimony  on  this  sub- 
ject, I  could  maintain  that  the  word  of  God  gives  no  authority 
for  the  baptism  of  adult  persons  born  of  Christian  parents ; 
neither  precept  nor  example.  But  only  such  as  were  converted 
from  the  Jews,  Greeks,  or  Romans,  were  to  be  baptized;  and 
you  would  search  the  record  in  vain  for  anything  to  the  con- 
trary, unless  you  claim,  as  we  do,  that  children  of  Christian 
parents  are  bom  members  of  the  church,  and  included  in  God's 
everlasting  covenant,  and  thereby  entitled  to  the  seal  —  the 
Christian  seal  —  of  that  covenant  in  infancy." 

"  That  strikes  me  with  peculiar  force,"  said  Anna.  "  And  I 
see  no  reason  why  we  should  not  believe  that  children  of  Chris- 
tian parents  were  considered  as  belonging  to  the  church,  and 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  291 

enjoying  its  privileges,  and  consequently  baptized  in  infancy, 
until  some  objector  can  discover  as  much  as  one  instance  in  tbe 
Bible  where  they  received  baptism  as  adults.  Nothing  more 
is  needed  to  satisfy  my  mind  on  this  subject;  yet  if  it  could  be 
shown  that  infant  baptism  was  practised  by  the  primitive  church, 
and  ever  since  that  time,  it  certainly  would  be  desirable  to  do 
so ;  and  if  this  could  be  done,  I  would  like  to  know  where  the 
Baptists  rest  their  faith,  and  what  foundation  they  have  to  build 
upon !  We  have  already  seen  that  anti-pedobaptists  have  no 
Bible  authority  in  their  favor;  nothing  in  the  word  of  God 
whereon  to  found  their  objections  and  to  build  their  faith.  I 
anticipate  that  Church  History  will  be  an  interesting  part  of 
the  subject;  and  does  it  not  come  next  in  order,  Mr.  Halley?" 
"It  does,"  replied  Halley;  "and  to-morrow,  if  there  is  no 
objection,  we  will  meet  here  again,  and  examine  into  the  history 
of  the  church  a  little  —  learn  how  far  back  the  Baptist  church 
can  date  its  origin,  and  endeavor  to  determine  whether  infant 
baptism  or  '  infant  sprinkling/ — as  your  author  calls  it, — is,  or 
is  not,  a  *  corruption  of  the  church  of  Rome.' " 


292  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 


CHAPTER  XI. 


"  The  ocean  hath  its  chart,  the  stars  their  map, 

And  knowledge  spreads  them  on  her  ample  lap; 

But  Rome  is  as  the  desert,  where  we  steer 

Stumbling  o'er  recollections.     Ruins  of  years ! 

Amidst  this  wreck,  where  time  has  made  a  shrine- 

And  temple  more  divinely  desolate, 

Among  thy  mightier  offerings,  here  are  mine. 

Oh  time !  the  beautifier  of  the  dead, 

Adorner  of  the  ruin,  comforter, 

And  only  healer  when  the  heart  hath  bled. 

Time!  the  corrector  where  our  judgments  err, 

The  test  of  truth,  love,  —  sole  philosopher, 

For  all  beside  are  sophists,  from  thy  thrift, 

Which  never  loses  though  it  doth  defer — 

Time,   the  avenger!  unto  thee  I  lift 
My  hands,  and  eyes,  and  heart,  and  crave  of  thee  a  gift." 

"Lord,  thou  hast  been  our  dwelling-place  in  all  generations." 


Halley  and  George,  early  on  the  morning  of  the  nest  day, 

jumped  into  a  carriage  and  drove  hastily  over  to  P ,  where 

a  friend  of  Halley's  resided  —  a  gentleman  whose  abundant 
wealth  had  afforded  him  the  means  of  cultivating  his  literary 
tastes  in  extensive  research  among  men  in  different  countries. 
He  had  travelled  much,  and  had  gathered  a  large  library  of 
ancient  literature  as  well  as  modern.  Halley's  object  was  to 
make  a  selection  from  his  library  of  desirable  works  to  present 
as  authority  in  the  pending  controversy.  His  friend  readily 
furnished  him  with  the  books  he  was  in  quest  of. 

When  Halley,  after  their  return,  entered    Elder  Clayton's 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  293 

study,  with  his  arms  full  of  ancient-looking  volumes,  he  found 
the  room  closely  crowded.  As  he  laid  his  books  upon  the  table, 
Squire  Tanner  arose  and  introduced  to  him  Elder  Mason  —  a 
prominent  man  among  the  Baptist  clergy  in  that  vicinity.  After 
the  usual  compliments  had  passed  around,  Halley  brought  for- 
ward the  subject  of  discussion  for  the  day,  by  requesting  Squire 
Tanner  to  turn  to  the  324th  page  of  the  volume  he  had,  and 
read  the  statement  there  made  as  to  the  first  instance  on  record 
of  the  baptism  of  a  child. 

Squire  Tanner  read:  "There  is  not  on  record  a  single  soli- 
tary instance  of  the  baptism  of  a  child,  till  the  year  of  our  Lord 
three  hundred  and  seventy,  and  that  was  the  son  of  the  Empe- 
ror Yalens." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Halley.  "  Now  please  to  turn  to  page 
341,  and  read  his  authority  for  stating  that  infant  baptism  was 
not  ordained  by  Christ  and  the  Apostles." 

Squire  Tanner  again  read  :  "  The  men  who  say  that  it  is  cer- 
tain that  infant  baptism  was  not  ordained  by  Christ  or  the 
Apostles,  and  was  not  introduced  until  after  the  second  century, 
are  such  men  as  Xeander,  Coleman,  and  Kitto,  among  the  most 
learned  and  eminent  of  your  own  ecclesiastical  historians,  and 
Biblical  critics." 

"  We  are  grateful  for  his  tribute  to  their  learning  and  emi- 
nence ;  and  we  suppose,  of  course,  he  considered  them  compe- 
tent witnesses,  or  he  would  not  have  used  their  names,"  said 
Halley.  "  But  unfortunately  for  Mr.  Graves'  statement,  I  happen 
to  have  Ancient  Christianity  Exemplified,  by  Lyman 
Coleman,  here,  and  I  will  read  a  passage  or  two  from  it,  and 
see  if  he  states  that  'infant  baptism  was  not  introducpd  till 
after  the  second  century.'  On  pages  374  and  375, '  The  silence 
of  curly  historical  records  (he  means  those  which  would  be 
contemporaneous  with  the  Evangelist  John,  and  immediately 
after  his  death),  respecting  infant  baptism,  is  no  valid  argument 
against  it.  *  *  Christian  baptism  has  from  the  beginning 
25* 


294  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

been  characterized  for  the  universality  of  its  application.  Prose- 
lyte baptism  was  administered  only  to  pagan  nations.  John's 
baptism  was  restricted  solely  to  the  Jews ;  but  Christian  bap- 
tism is  open  to  all.  Proselyte  baptism  inclnded  the  children 
with  the  parents;  John's  baptism  excluded  both  children  and 
the  female  sex.  Christian  baptism  excludes  no  nation,  or  sex, 
or  age.  Comp.  Matt,  xxviii.  19-20 ;  Gal.  iii.  28 ;  1  Cor.  xii. 
13 ;  together  with  the  authorities  of  Irenteus,  Cyprian,  and 
Tertullian,  quoted  below.  From  all  which,  it  appears  evident 
beyond  a  doubt,  that  the  ancient  church  understood  that  Chris- 
tian baptism  teas  designed  for  all,  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  term; 
that  no  nation,  or  class,  or  sex,  or  AGE,  icas  excluded.'  Does 
this  harmonize  with  that  assertion  of  your  author,  Scpuire 
Tanner?" 

"  I  must  confess,"  replied  Tanner,  "  that  Mr.  Graves  has 
sadly  misrepresented  Mr.  Coleman  in  this  instance,  but  I  pre- 
sume it  was  an  oversight." 

"  I  fear  Brother  Graves  is  very  much  addicted  to  such  '  over- 
sights,' "  continued  Halley,  smiling  somewhat  sarcastically.  "  But 
that  will  be  more  fully  determined  hereafter.  Here  is  Neander 
also :  we  will  call  him  to  the  witness-block.  This  is  vol.  i.  of 
his  Church  History,  translated  by  Prof.  Torrey.  On  page 
311,  he  says :  '  Irenaeus  is  the  first  church  teacher  in  whom 
we  find  any  allusion  to  infant  baptism.'  Now,  Irenams  was 
born  near  the  close  of  the  frst  century,  and  was  a  scholar  of 
Polycarp,  who  was  one  of  John  the  Evangelist.  Does  that 
sound  like  infant  baptism  not  being  introduced  till  after  the 
close  of  the  second  century?  Neander  adds:  He  (Irenacus) 
also  says,  (speaking  of  Christ),  that  He  came  to  redeem  all  by 
himself;  all  who,  through  him,  are  regenerated  to  God  ;  infants, 
little  children,  boys,  young  men,  and  old.  Hence  he  passed 
through  every  age,  and  for  infants  he  became  an  infant,  sancti- 
fying the  infants,  etc.' 

"  From  this  we  discover  that  be  Irenasus  whatever  he  may, 


TIIE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  295 

lie  is  not  a  Bajitist,  for  he  does  not  teach  Baptist  theology.  If 
you  question  it,  Squire  Tanner,  just  turn  to  the  work  you  have, 
page  304,  as  I  have  it  marked,  and  you  will  find  there  an  ex- 
position of  what  you  profess  to  believe." 

Squire  Tanner  turned  slowly  to  the  page  indicated,  and  read  : 
"  A  mother  brings  her  babe  to  have  it  sprinkled.  It  is  a  beau- 
tiful child,  and  she  verily  thinks  she  is  doing  God  service ;  and 
is  herself  a  lovely  object  as  she  stands  there  with  the  infant  in 
her  arms.  But  now  I  ask  you,  is  that  child  regenerated  ?  Is 
he  a  branch  ingrafted  into  Christ  ?    Are  all  his  sins  forgiven  ?" 

"  What  do  you  say  to  that,  Elder  Clayton  ? "  interrupted 
Halley.     "  How  do  you  answer  that  question  ?  " 

"I  should  say,  yes,"  responded  Elder  Clayton.  "And  if  that 
child  should  die  at  the  moment  of  consecration,  or  immediately 
after  —  or  should  it  die  in  infancy  without  such  a  consecration 
—  it  is  certain  to  enjoy  the  holiness  of  heaven :  for  our  Savior 
expressly  declares  it.  But  I  would  like  to  know,  Squire  Tanner, 
what  your  author  says  further — how  he  answers  the  question." 

"  He  says,  emphatically,  no,"  said  Tanner;  "  and  I  will  read 
a  little  more :  '  You  say,  no ;  it  is  absurd  to  think  6f  such  a 
thing.  Then  I  reply,  your  baptism  is  a  falsehood  ;  for  it  is 
designed  to  signify  and  seal  those  things,  which  in  this  subject 
do  not  and  cannot  exist.'    What  say  you  to  that,  Mr.  Halley?" 

"  We  say  they  do  and  can  exist,  or  the  child  would  be 
damned  should  it  die  in  infancy.  A  man  using  such  language 
as  that  you  have  just  read,  must,  if  he  be  honest,  believe,  in 
the  depths  of  his  soul,  that  infants  are  not  saved.  But  Ire- 
naeus  says  that  infants  are  'born  again,' — '  reborn'  or  'regene- 
rated— unto  God.'  If  he  is  correct,  as  we  verily  believe,  then 
are  they  not  a  branch  ingrafted  into  Christ?  Is  not  all  their 
sin  —  which  is  but  inherited  sin  —  forgiven?  Irenams  says, 
yes;  and  the  term  he  uses,  by  those  best  able  to  judge  —  who 
have  studied  his  style  and  writings  —  implies  that  they  have 
also  been  baptized. 


296  ANNA    CLAYTON]     OR, 

"  Says  Dr.  Woods,  in  speaking  of  this  testimony  :  '  These  al- 
lusions, however,  are  of  such  a  nature,  that  they  cannot  well  he 
accounted  for  without  supposing  that  infant  baptism  was  then 
ihe  uniform  practice? 

"  Says  Lyman  Coleman  :  'Regenerating  unto  God  is  supposed 
to  relate  to  the  act  of  baptizing.  Baptism,  according  to  the 
itsus  loqucndi  of  the  age,  was  regeneration.  This,  Neander 
himself  admits,  in  commenting  on  the  above  passage  from  Ire- 
naeus,  which  he  receives  as  valid  and  incontrovertible  proof  of 
the  practice  of  infant  baptism  at  this  early  age.  How  else  can 
an  unconscious  infant  be  regenerated,  save  by  baptism,  accord- 
ing to  the  views  then  prevalent  respecting  this  ordinance  ? ' 

"  We  do  not  believe  with  Irenasus,  that  there  is  any  efficacy 
in  baptism  itself;  in  the  case  of  infants,  it  signifies  that  their 
inherited  sin  has  been  wiped  out  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and 
that  thereby  they  are  regenerated  and  constituted  members  of 
Christ's  kingdom  j  and  in  this  argument  our  only  inquiry  is, 
whether  it  appears  from  his  writings,  that  infant  baptism  was 
the  prevdtHifog  practice.  Wall,  Schroeck,  and  other  writers  of 
the  first  ability,  with  the  best  of  reasons,  consider  him  as  re- 
ferring to  baptism —  to  infant  baptism  —  in  the  term  he  uses. 
We  have  then  already  found  one  prominent  teacher  born  in  the 
first  century,  very  soon  after  the  death  of  the  Apostles,  and 
possibly  whilst  the  Apostle  John  was  yet  living,  who  is  not  a 
BajJtist." 

"  Is  there  not  some  mistake  about  this  ?  "  asked  Elder  Mason. 

"  None  whatever,"  responded  Halley.  "  There  can  be  no 
mistake  about  it.  The  testimony  is  too  abundant  to  admit  of 
the  possibility  of  an  errror  as  to  his  statements.  Here  is  a 
little  volume  by  Grey,  page  57,  where  he  gives  the  language 
of  Irenaeus  in  his  old  age :  '  I  can  describe  the  spot  on  which 
Polycarp  (his  instructor  and  the  disciple  of  John),  sat  and  ex- 
pounded ;  his  going  in  and  coining  out;  the  manner  of  his  life; 
the  figure  of  his  body ;  the  sermons  he  preached  to  the  multi- 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  297 

tudes ;  liow  lie  related  to  us  his  conversation  with  John,  and 
the  rest  of  those  who  had  seen  the  Lord ;  how  he  mentioned 
their  particular  expressions,  and  what  things  he  had  heard  from 
them  of  the  Lord,  of  his  miracles  and  of  his  doctrines.' 

"  Coleman  gives  the  same  in  substance,  and  remarks  on  it : 
'  This  proves  that  Polycarp  had  diligently  inquired  from  those 
who  could  tell  him,  concerning  our  Lord  and  his  doctrine.  He 
had  made  himself  master  of  whatever  was  to  be  known.  It 
proves  also  that  such  traditions  were  repeated  by  him  in  his 
public  discourses  to  the  people ;  the  best  of  all  possible  modes 
of  instruction.  Moreover,  these  discourses  made  the  deepest 
impression  on  the  memory  of  Irenams,  who  expressly  mentions 
"reborn  infants'"  (see  Coleman,  page  383). 

"  There  cannot  exist  a  doubt  that  Irenams  regarded  infants 
as  included  under  the  Gospel  scheme,  and  as  fit  subjects  for 
baptism.  But  Mr.  Graves  says  that  the  Gospel  has  nothing  to 
do  with  infants,  and  he  is  not  alone.  Dr.  Alex.  Carson,  one  of 
our  most  learned  Baptist  divines,  openly  declares  (Baptism  in 
its  Mode  and  Subjects,  p.  173),  that  children  cannot  be  saved 
by  the  Gospel,  nor  by  faith.  '  The  Gospel  has  nothing  to  do 
with  infants,  nor  have  Gospel  ordinances  any  respect  to  them. 
The  Gospel  has  to  do  with  those  who  hear  it.  It  is  good  news ; 
but  to  infants  it  is  no  news  at  all.  They  know  nothing  of  it. 
The  salvation  of  the  Gospel  is  as  much  confined  to  believers  as 
the  baptism  of  the  Gospel  is.  None  can  ever  be  saved  by  the 
Gospel  who  do  not  believe  it.  Consequently,  by  the  Gospel,  no 
infant  can  be  saved.  Infants  who  enter  heaven  must  be  regene- 
rated, but  not  by  the  Gospel.  Infants  must  be  sanctified  for 
heaven,  but  not  through  the  truth  as  revealed  to  man.  We 
know  nothing  of  the  means  by  which  God  receives  infants ;  nor 
have  we  any  business  with  it.'  Do  you  endorse  this,  Elder 
Mason  ?  Fine  consolation,  truly,  for  Christian  parents  at  the 
grave  of  their  beloved  offspring !  If  '  they  arc  not  saved  by 
the  Gospel,  nor  through  the  truth  as  revealed  to  man/  how  are 


208  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

they  saved  at  all?  The  fundamental  principle  of  the  Gospel 
is,  that  out  of  Christ  there  is  no  salvation.  Christ  is  the  sum 
and  substance  of  the  Gospel  scheme,  and  there  is  no  other 
name  given  under  heaven  and  among  men  whereby  we  can  be 
saved;'  and  this  is  the  '  truth  which  is  revealed  to  man.'  How 
then  are  infants  to  be  saved  ?  Does  not  Dr.  Carson  effectually 
cut  off  all  salvation  for  them  ?  And  this  is  what  your  doctrine 
leads  to  when  carried  out.  Is  Christ  willing  to  save  only  adults  ? 
The  exclusion  of  a  part  of  our  race  from  the  blessings  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven   on  account  of  aee  has  not  the  slightest 

o  Co 

warrant  in  the  word  of  God ;  and  our  noblest  impulses,  and  our 
deepest  religious  feelings  rise  up  and  condemn  such  exclusive- 
ness,  and  such  an  unfeeling  doctrine. 

"  '  If  temporal  estates  may  be  convey'd 
By  cov'nants,  on  condition, 
To  men,  and  to  their  heirs ;  be  not  afraid, 
My  soul,   to  rest  upon 
The  covenant  of  grace  by  mercy  made.' " 

"  Justin  Martyr  was  contemporaneous  with  Irenaeus,  and  born 
about  the  same  time.  He  is  called  the  first  man  of  letters  who 
adorned  the  church  after  the  Apostle  Paul.  He  wrote  in 
Greek.  In  his  apology  for  Christians,  addressed  to  Antonius 
Pius,  his  second  apology,  he  says :  '  There  are  many  persons  of 
both  sexes,  some  sixty,  and  some  seventy  years  old,  who  were 
made  disciples  to  Christ  from  their  infancy,  or  childhood '  (ix 
Ttou'fiuj/,  eh  pidone).  By  this  same  word  the  Evangelists  used  to 
represent  the  children  Jesus  took  up  in  his  arms  and  blessed — 
and  when  he  said,  'Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me'  (See 
Matt.  xix.  13,  14 ;  Mark  x.  13-15,  and  Luke  xviii.  1G).  Justin 
Martyr  dues  not  use  the  word  baptism  here;  but  how  were  they 
made  disciples  except  by  baptism  ?  Dr.  Dwight  justly  remarks 
that  '  there  never  was  any  other  mode  of  making  disciples  from 
infancy  except  by  baptism.'  Dr.  Woods  says  :  '  I  think  it  alto- 
gether probable,  and  beyond  any  reasonable  doubt,  that  Justin 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER     TRUTH.  299 

meant  in  this  place  to  speak  of  those  who  were  made  disciples, 
or  introduced  into  the  school  of  Christ  by  baptism,  when  they 
were  infants.    Dr.  Pond  also  says  :  '  They  were  doubtless  made 
disciples  by  baptism,  for  the  same  word,  "  they  w*  h  proselyted" 
or  "  madi  disefples"  {j^aO^rtidr^av,  ematlietuthesaii),  is  used  by 
Christ   in    the    commission :    "  Go   and    disciple,  or  proselyte 
(jua^Tfisafj),  all  nations,  baptizing  them,"  etc'  (Matt,  xxviii. 
19).    Justin  Martyr  then  could  not  have  been  a  Baptist,  for  he 
believed  in  infant  discipleship,  and  therefore  necessarily  infant 
baptism.     Now  Squire  Tanner,"  continued  Halley,  consulting 
his  little  memorandum-book  as  usual,  "  turn,  if  you  please,  to 
p.  331  of  your  book,  and  you  will  find  it  there  stated,  that 
'Justin  Martyr,  Irenams,  and  others,  so  far  from  directly  speak- 
ing of  infant  baptism,  never  once  utter  a  syllable  on  the  subject.' 
But  in  the  light  of  what  has  already  been  said  :  Did  not  Ire- 
nams  when  he  spoke  of  '  infants  regenerated  or  horn  again.'  and 
Justin   Martyr,  when  he  spoke  of  '  infant  disctpleshij),'  mean 
infant  baptism  ?     Is  there  never  a  syllable  uttered  on  the  sub- 
ject ?     Our  best  authorities  say  that  it  is  directly  mentioned. 
And  Prof.  M.  Stuart,  in  an  article  of  vast  research  and  learn- 
ing, found  in  the  Biblical  Bepository,  vol.  iii.  p.  355,  says : 
'Justin  Martyr  in  his  dialogue  with  Trypho,  the  Jew,  compared 
baptism  with  circumcision,  and  speaks  of  it  as  an  initiatory 
ceremony.'     So  Coleman,  p.  385,  says  :  '  In  his  dialogue  with 
Trypho,  the  Jew,  Justin  contrasts  and  compares  baptism  with 
circumcision.     We  draw  near  to  God  by  him,  for  we  have  not 
received  circumcision  by  the  flesh,  but  that  which  is  spiritual, 
as  Enoch  and  others  observed.  This  we,  though  sinners,  receive 
through  the  compassion  of  God  by  baptism,  which  all  are 
permitted  to  receive.'     Justin  does  not  exclude  any  one  on 
account  of  his  age;  he  says,  all  are  permitted  to  receive  bap- 
tism.    Also  he  compared  and  contrasted  baptism  with  circum- 
cision, that  is,  they  were  alike  in  their  nature  and  use.     Could 
he  talk  about  circumcision  and  not  talk  about  infant  circum- 


300  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

cision?  Were  not  the  Jews  circumcised  in  their  infancy? 
And  believing,  as  he  did,  that  baptism  came  in  the  place  of 
circumcision,  could  he  talk  about  baptism  in  this  general 
manner,  and  not  include  infant  baptism?" 

"  But  you  forget,"  said  Elder  Mason,  "that  it  is  stated  by 
Mr.  Graves  that  they  did  not  directly  speak  of  infant  baptism  !" 
"  Xo,  Elder  Mason,  I  do  not  forget.  It  is  stated  in  that 
work,  that,  so  far  from  direct///  speaking  of  infant  baptism,  they 
never  once  uttered  a  syllable  on  tJie  subject:  not  a  syllable  on 
the  subject  ?  Can  that  be  true,  in  view  of  the  testimony  given  ? 
I  leave  it  for  you  to  judge. 

"  Tertullian  comes  next  in  order.  He  was  born  about  forty- 
five  years  after  the  Apostles,  and  wrote  about  one  hundred  years 
after  the  death  of  John.  He  and  Origen  were  both  young  men 
at  the  death  of  Irenseus  and  Justin  Martyr.  Tertullian  is  the 
first  man  who  speaks  against  infant  baptism;  and  whilst  he 
recognizes  its  existence  and  prevalence,  and  he  himself  expressly, 
recommends  that  infants  be  baptized  if  not  likely  to  survive  the 
period  of  infancy ;  yet,  in  consequence  of  his  peculiar  notions, 
he  advises  that  baptism  in  all  other  cases  be  delayed  until  a 
later  period  of  life." 

"  Do  you  know  his  reasons  for  advising  delay  in  cases  of 
baptism?"  asked  Anna. 

"  His  only  reason  was,  that  he  believed  that  sins  committed 
off'  r  baptism  could  never  be  forgiven." 

"  0  yes,"  said  Elder  Mason,  "  he  is  the  man  to  whom  a  cer- 
tain lady,  named  Quintilla,  wrote,  asking  something  about  the 
matter  of  baptism  —  and  you  say  he  only  advised  delay?" 

"That  was  all,  sir  !  And  that  delay  had  reference  not  only 
to  children,  but  to  all  unmarried  persons:  for  he  thought  it 
was  dangerous  on  account  of  their  peculiar  temptations  to  sin. 
But  do  you  wish  to  know  just  what  Tertullian  says  about  the 
matter?  Here  is  the  passage  in  the  original  language  —  Ter- 
tullian's  Treatise  Be  Baptismo,  chap,  xviii. ;  and  here  also  is  a 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  301 

translation  of  it  from  the  best  authorities,  which  I  have  com- 
pared with  the  original  and  found  to  be  correct.  Miss  Anna, 
will  you  take  the  book  and  read  the  passage  ?  " 

Anna  took  the  work  and  read  the  passage  he  had  marked. 
"  But  they  whose  duty  it  is  to  administer  baptism,  should 
know,  that  it  is  not  to  be  given  rashly.  'Give  to  every  one  that 
aslceth  thee,'  has  its  proper  subject,  and  relates  to  almsgiving. 
But  that  command  is  rather  to  be  regarded :  '  Give  not  that 
which  is  holt/  to  dogs,  neither  cast  your  pearls  be/ore  sicine  ;  and 
Lay  hands  suddenly  on  no  man,  neither  be  partaker  of  other 
men's  sins.  Therefore,  according  to  every  person's  condition 
and  disposition,  and  age;  also,  the  delay  of  baptism  is  more 
profitable,  especially  as  to  little  children." 

"  Mark  there  !"  interrupted  Halley,  "  he  does  not  talk  about 
prohibition  as  though  they  had  not  a  universally  conceded  right 
to  it,  but  delay  only.     Please  read  on,  Anna." 

"  For,"  Anna  continued,  "  why  is  it  necessary  that  the  spon- 
sors should  incur  danger  ?  For  they  may  either  fail  of  tbeir 
promise  by  death,  or  may  be  disappointed  by  the  child's  proving 
to  be  of  a  wicked  disposition.  Our  Lord  says  indeed,  forbid 
them  not  to  come  to  me.  Let  them  come  then,  when  they  are 
grown  up ;  let  them  come  when  they  understand ;  let  them 
come  when  they  are  taught  whither  they  are  to  come ;  let  them 
become  Christians  when  they  are  able  to  know  Christ  ?  Why 
should  their  innocent  age  make  haste  to  the  forgiveness  of  sin  ? 
Men  act  more  cautiously  in  temporal  concerns.  Worldly  sub- 
stance is  not  committed  to  those,  to  whom  divine  things  are  en- 
trusted. Let  them  know  how  to  ask  for  salvation,  that  you 
may  seem  to  give  to  him  that  asketh.  It  is  for  a  reason  of  no 
less  importance,  that  unmarried  persons,  both  those  who  were 
never  married,  and  those  who  have  been  deprived  of  their 
partners,  should,  on  account  of  their  exposure  to  temptation,  be 
kept  xcaiting,  till  they  are  either  married,  or  confirmed  in  a  habit 
of  chaste  single  life.  They  who  understand  the  imp>ortance  of 
26 


302  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

baptism,  •will  be  more  afraid  of  hastening  to  receive  it,  than  of 
delay." 

"Thus  testifies  Tertullian,"  said  Halley;  "and  as  Dr. 
"Woods'  remarks  on  this  passage  are  so  appropriate,  I  cannot 
refrain  from  reading  them.  He  says  :  '  The  strange  opinions 
which  he  entertained,  as  a  Montanist,  have  nothing  to  do  with 
his  testimony  as  to  facts ;  especially  as  to  facts,  to  which  he 
makes  no  appeal  in  support  of  his  peculiar  opinions;  and  most 
of  all  as  to  facts,  against  which  he  objects,  and  which  he  attacks 
with  severity.  In  regard  to  such  facts,  his  testimony  is  en- 
titled to  full  credit.  For  what  motive  could  he  possibly  have 
to  assert  things,  which  stood  in  the  way  of  his  own  sectarian 
views,  unless  those  things  actually  existed  ?  Would  any  author, 
especially  one  who  wished  to  set  himself  up  as  the  head  of  a 
sect,  speak  of  the  existence  of  a  practice  which  he  disapproved, 
and  which  was  directly  opposed  to  his  favorite  object,  when  at 
the  same  time  he  was  aware  that  no  such  practice  existed  ? 
Could  he  have  had  any  motive  whatever  to  treat  infant  baptism 
as  he  did,  unless  he,  and  those  for  whom  he  wrote,  knew  that 
it  was  a  common  practice  ?  This  has  never  been  shown ;  and 
I  am  greatly  mistaken  if  it  ever  can  be.' " 

"  It  occurs  to  me,"  said  Anna,  "that,  if  this  practice,  which 
he  opposes,  was  an  innovation  since  the  time  of  the  Apostles — 
it  being  only  one  hundred  years  from  them,  and  he  being  a 
very  learned  man — certainly  he  must  have  known  it  ■  and  when, 
and  under  what  circumstances,  it  was  introduced.  Here  is  a 
passage  in  one  of  your  books  from  Mr.  Coleman,  page  385, 
which  strikes  me  with  force,  and  I  will  read  it :  '  The  authori- 
ties which  have  been  cited,  carry  back  the  ordinance  of  infant 
baptism  to  a  period  of  less  than  one  hundred  years  from  the 
aire  of  the  Apostles.  When  was  it  introduced,  if  not  by  the 
Apostles?  And  by  whose  authority,  if  not  by  theirs?  To 
these  important  inquiries  all  history  is  silent,  assigning  no  time 
for  its  first  introduction,  nor  revealing  the  least  excitement, 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  303 

controversy,  or  opposition  to  an  innovation  so  remarkable  as 
this  must  have  been  if  it  was  obtruded  upon  the  churches  -with- 
out the  authority  of  the  Apostles.  How,  especially,  could  this 
have  been  effected  in  that  age  which  adhered  so  strictly,  even 
in  the  smallest  things,  to  ancient  usage  and  authority,  and 
which  was  so  near  to  the  Apostles,  that  their  usages  and  insti- 
tutions must  have  been  distinctly  known  by  tradition  ?  Or 
how  could  the  change  have  been  effected  in  so  short  a  space  of 
time  ?  Hath  a  nation  changed  their  gods  in  a  day  ?  Have 
they  in  a  day  changed  their  cherished  institution  ?  Far  from 
it.'  This  is  the  same  man  that  is  represented,  with  Kitto  and 
Neander,  as  saying  that  infant  baptism  was  not  introduced  till 
after  the  second  century,  —  is  he  not,  Mr.  Halley?" 

"  The  very  same,"  responded  Halley.  "  And  much  worse 
than  all  that,  is  he  represented  as  saying.  Squire  Tanner,  will 
you  please  turn  to  your  work,  page  324,  and  read  what  he  — 
your  author  I  mean  —  says  about  Mr.  Coleman  ?  " 

Squire  Tanner  did  as  requested,  after  a  moment's  hesitation. 
He  read  :  "  Coleman,  another  of  your  own  writers,  and  a  citizen 
of  our  own  country,  says  :  '  Though  the  necessity  of  infant  bap- 
tism was  asserted  in  Africa  and  Egypt  in  the  beginning  of  the 
third  century,  it  was  even  to  the  end  of  the  fourth  by  no  means 
generally  observed,  least  of  all  in  the  Eastern  church,  and  it 
finally  became  a  general  ecclesiastical  institution  in  the  age  of 
Augustine,'  which  you  know  was  at  the  beginning  of  the  fifth 
century." 

"  This  passage,"  said  Halley,  "  I  have,  as  yet,  never  found 
in  Coleman's  writings — it  may  be  in  them — but  he  is  not  a  man 
who  is  thus  given  to  contradict  directly  and  expressly  his  own 
statements.  But  you  may  find  on  pages  382,  383,  this  passage ; 
which  you  will  perceive  does  not  harmonize  very  well  with  Mr. 
Graves'  statement;  but  it  does  harmonize  with  what  I  have  read 
of  him  elsewhere,  and  is  unquestionably  his  sincere  belief. 
'  But  why  did  not  Tertullian,  in  his  zeal  against  infant  baptism, 


804  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

employ  another  and  most  conclusive  argument?  Why  not  say, 
'  This  practice  is  a  dangerous  innovation,  a  fiction  of  the  day. 
It  was  unknown  fifty  years  ago;  unknown  to  the  apostolic 
churches,  unknown  to  the  Apostles  themselves.  From  the  be- 
ginning it  was  not  so.  Ye  know  the  teaching  of  the  Apostles. 
Ye  know  the  traditions  of  the  churches ;  ye  know  it  was  not 
so.'  Such  an  argument  against  the  object  of  his  aversion  would 
have  been  conclusive,  and  must  have  suggested  itself  to  this 
adroit  tactician.  Why  did  he  not  use  it?  Plainly,  because  he 
could  not.  He  could  only  reason  from  his  own  principles,  and 
pass  in  silence  the  mightier  argument  of  the  authority  and  usage 
of  the  apostolic  churches,  becaxise  this  was  directly  opposed  to 
him.  His  condemning  the  practice,  not  only  proves  its  pre- 
vious existence  ;  it  proves  more.  It  proves  that  this  was  no  in- 
novation. When  a  man  condemns  a  practice,  he  is  naturally 
desirous  to  support  his  peculiar  views  by  the  strongest  argu- 
ments. Could  Tertullian,  therefore,  have  shown  that  the  prac- 
tice was  of  recent  origin,  that  it  had  been  introduced  in  his 
own  day,  or  even  at  any  time  subsequent  to  the  lives  of  the 
Apostles,  we  have  every  reason  to  believe,  that  he  would  have 
availed  himself  of  a  ground  so  obvious,  so  conclusive.  It 
proves  still  further,  that  the  baptism  of  infants  was  the  general 
PRACTICE  of  the  church  in  Tertullian's  time  (in  the  second  cen- 
tury, and  not  a  hundred  years  after  the  Apostles).  His  opinion 
is  his  own.  It  is  that  of  a  dissent  from  the  universal  body 
of  professing  Christians.  He  never  pretends  to  say  that  any 
fart  of  the  church  held  or  acted  upon  it.'  This  is  the  lan- 
guage used  and  adopted  by  Mr.  Coleman;  and  I  would  ask,  if 
there  is  any  mistaking  its  import?  The  quotation  is  a  libel 
upon  his  opinion  —  if  it  is  a  quotation.  He  states  it  as  his 
belief  that  infant  baptism  was  the  general  practice,  not  only  in 
Tertullian's  time,  but  even  back  through  the  history  of  the 
church  even  to  the  time  of  the  Apostles.'' 

"  And  is  there  not  great  force  in  these  remarks?"  asked 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  305 

Anna.  "  If  it  had  been  an  innovation,  would  not  Tertullian 
have  urged  it  as  such ;  and  thus  put  it  down  at  once  ?  This 
would  have  been  natural —  this  would  have  been  the  most 
powerful  argument  he  could  possibly  have  urged  against  it.  It 
is  absurd  to  suppose  that  he  could  or  would  have  overlooked 
such  an  argument,  in  the  zeal  and  spirit  he  manifests  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  practice.  If  he  could  have  opposed  it  by  asserting 
that  it  was  a  practice  unusual  or  unknown  in  the  apostolic 
churches,  he  certainly  would  have  done  so.     Would  he  not?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  Halley,  "  it  is  remarkable  that  Tertullian  does 
not  appeal  to  any  usage  of  the  church  at  all  —  nor  to  any  part 
of  the  church  from  the  time  of  our  Savior  down  to  his  own 
time,  in  support  of  his  peculiar  belief.  If  it  had  been  possible, 
he  most  certainly  would  have  denounced  it  as  an  innovation 
both  hurtful  and  uncalled-for,  and  thus  have  put  it  down 
effectually." 

"What  does  Brother  Graves  say  of  Tertullian,  Squire  Tan- 
ner ?  "  asked  Elder  Clayton. 

"  On  page  33-4,  he  sums  up  the  matter  by  saying :  '  We 
simply  say  that  it  did  not  exist  before ;  —  that  this  is  the  first 
proposal  to  introduce  it  (infant  baptism),  and  that  it  icas  op- 
posed." 

" Very  brief  and  concise,"  said  Halley.  "It  did  not  exist 
before,  and  it  was  opposed !  Will  you  claim  him  then  for  a 
brother  Baptist  ?  He  is  called  an  acute  reasoner  —  your  own 
men  call  him  a  learned  and  acute  reasoner  —  and  yet  it  had 
never  occurred  to  him  that  this  infant  baptism  was  an  innova- 
tion; that  there  was  an  *  unanswerable  argument'  in  the  great 
commission  itself  to  put  down  effectually  all  infant  baptism 
tendencies !  Nor  is  he  exactly  orthodox  on  the  great  text  '  be- 
lieve and  be  baptized ; '  for  he  seems  to  think  it  necessary,  as 
an  additional  qualification  to  belief,  that  they  should  be  pre- 
viously married!  I  presume  he  would  have  amended  the  com- 
mission, and  have  had  it  read,  '  believe,  get  married,  and  then 
26*  u 


306  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

be  baptized/  He  does  not,  in  some  other  points,  seem  folly  to 
be  allied  in  faith  to  the  belief  of  his  brethren  in  these  times ; 
especially  as  he  is  so  ignorant  as  to  advocate  the  giving  of  the 
ordinance  of  baptism  to  infants,  if  not  likely  to  live  to  grow  up 
and  get  married.  Probably  he  would  have  been  much  wiser  if 
he  had  lived  in  our  day,  and  have  been  under  the  tuition  of  some 
of  our  Baptist  writers.  But  as  he  is  the  only  one  we  have  as 
yet  found,  corresponding  at  all  with  their  .creed,  and  as  we  are 
inclined  to  be  generous,  we  will  put  him  down  as  a  Baptist. 

"  Dr.  Mosheim,  in  his  Church  History,  says  of  Tertullian  : 
1  He  was  endued  with  great  genius,  but  seemed  deficient  in 
point  of  judgment.  His  piety  was  warm  and  vigorous,  but  at 
the  same  time  melancholy  and  austere.  His  learning  was  ex- 
tensive and  profound  ;  and  yet  his  credulity  and  superstition 
were  such  as  might  be  expected  from  the  darkest  ignorance. 
And  with  respect  to  his  reasonings,  they  had  more  of  that  sub- 
tlety that  dazzles  the  imagination,  than  of  that  solidity  that 
brings  light  and  conviction  to  the  mind.' 

"  Says  Dr.  Wall,  a  very  candid  and  reliable  writer,  who  was 
born  in  1645  or  '6  and  died  in  1727  or  '8,  and  spent  the  most 
of  his  life  in  the  study  of  the  Church  Fathers  and  the  early 
writers  of  the  Christian  era  :  '  Tertullian  fell  into  the  heresy  of 
the  Montanists,  who  blasphemously  held  that  one  Montanus  was 
that  Paraclete  or  Comforter  which  our  Saviour  promised  to  send : 
and  that  fuller  and  better  discoveries  of  God's  will  were  made 
to  him  than  to  the  Apostles,  who  prophesied  only  in  part.  *  * 
But  that  which  most  deserves  the  reader's  observation  is,  that 
the  words  of  Tertullian  do  not  import  that  the  custom  of  the 
Christians  at  that  time  was  to  leave  infants  unbaptizcd  ;  but,  op 
the  contrary,  they  plainly  intimate  thai  there  was  a  custom  of 
baptizing  them;  only  he  dislikes  that  that  custom  should  be 
generally  used'  (Vol.  i.  pp.  87  and  99).  So  Dr.  Wardlaw,  of 
Glasgow,  takes  the  same  view  of  his  testimony.  '  Tertullian's 
condemning  the  practice  of  baptizing  infants,  so  far  from  being 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       807 

in  their  (the  Baptists')  favor,  militates  against  thern.  It  not 
only  proves  its  previous  existence,  it  proves  more.  It  proves 
that  it  was  no  innovation/  etc. 

"  Note  Mr.  Graves'  reasons,"  continued  Halley,  laying  aside 
the  book  he  had  been  quoting  from,  "  that  because  Tertullian 
recognizes  such  innovations  as  the  signing  the  baptized  with 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  giving  them  a  mixture  of  milk  and  honey, 
and  anointing  them  •with  holy  oil,  therefore  infant  baptism  is 
also  an  innovation ;  —  that  because  these  notions  existed  then, 
and  the  doctrines  of  baptismal  regeneration  and  purgatory  date 
back  to  about  this  time,  therefore  infant  baptism  is  to  be  classed 
with  them  as  another  innovation  !  Cogent  reasoning  this,  and 
like  that  we  have  found  elsewhere !  He  might  in  the  same 
manner  reason  of  the  Lord's  Supper  and  of  the  Sabbath,  and 
class  them  all  as  innovations  !  (See  Theodosia  Ernest,  vol.  i. 
p.  335).  To  say  the  least,  this  kind  of  argument  shows  a 
weakness  which  is  calculated  to  excite  commiseration !  Could 
not  Tertullian  have  informed  us,  if  it  had  been  an  innovation, 
as  well  as  Brother  Graves  ?  He  opposed  it,  and  brought  all  the 
argument  he  could  find  to  bear  against  it.  And  in  all  the 
argument  that  a  learned  and  acute  reasoner  of  that  age  could 
bring  to  bear  against  infant  baptism,  there  is  nothing  about  its 
not  being  a  divine  institution — not  a  text  of  Scripture  that  has 
the  least  bearing  upon  the  subject  —  nothing  about  infants  not 
being  equally  entitled  to  it  with  believing  unmarried  adults,  or 
married  even ;  except  on  the  ground  of  expediency.  Nothing 
about  its  not  being  taught  and  practised  by  the  apostles  —  he 
must  certainly  have  known  whether  it  was  or  not — but  simply, 
he  thought  it  expedient  that  it  be  delayed  in  the  case  of  infants 
and  unmarried  adults !  And  I  must  add  that  his  reasoning  on 
.that  subject  has  about  the  same  force  as  that  of  his  brethren, 
who  have  adopted  him,  at  a  much  later  day ! 

"  Says  Dr.  Philip  Schaff,  the  renowned  and  learned  pupil  of 
Dr.  Neander,  in  speaking  of  Tcrtullian's  testimony  (History  of 


308  ANNA     CLAYTON;    OR, 

the  Apostolic  Church,  pp.  580  and  581)  :  'The  vast  difference 
of  Tertullian's  position  in  this  whole  controversy  from  that  of 
the  Baptists  of  our  days,  must  be  clear  to  every  one  who  has 
any  historical  or  critical  judgment.  And  for  this  reason  is  it 
so  preposterous  for  the  Baptists,  who  otherwise  concern  them- 
selves mighty  little  about  tradition  and  ecclesiastical  antiquity, 
so  zealously  (and  honestly  no  doubt)  to  appeal  to  the  African 
Church  father.  But  they  feel  themselves  greatly  encouraged 
by  the  authority  of  some  great  German  historians,  especially 
Neander,  who,  although  a  Pedobaptist  himself,  was  quite  too 
latitudinarian  on  this,  as  on  some  other  points,  and  suffered  his 
latitudinarianism  unconsciously  to  influence  his  historical  repre- 
sentation of  the  apostolic  and  post-apostolic  practice.' 

u  The  next  link  in  the  chain  of  our  historical  argument  is 
Origen.  He  was  born  about  eighty-five  years  after  the  apostles, 
and  was  descended  from  Christian  parents,  and  without  doubt 
was  baptized  in  infancy.  His  father  was  a  martyr  for  Christ  in 
the  persecution  under  Severus,  one  hundred  and  two  years  after 
the  apostles,  when  he  was  seventeen  years  old.  Eusebius  assures 
us,  that  his  ancestors  had  been  Christians  for  several  generations, 
and  that,  '  The  Christian  doctrine  was  conveyed  to  him  from  his 
forefathers.'  His  grandfather,  or  at  least  his  great-grandfather, 
must  have  lived  in  the  time  of  the  apostles.  And  so  he  had 
no  further  than  his  own  family  to  go  for  inquiry  how  it  was 
practised  by  the  Apostles.  Besides  all  this,  Origen  was  a  very 
learned  man,  and  could  not  be  ignorant  of  the  usages  of  the 
churches;  in  most  of  which  he  had  traveled,  for  he  was  born 
and  bred  at  Alexandria ;  so  it  appears  out  of  Eusebius,  that  he 
had  lived  in  Greece,  and  at  Rome,  and  in  Cappadocia,  and 
Ai-abia,  and  spent  the  main  part  of  his  life  in  Syria  and  Pales- 
tine. Says  Lyman  Coleman,  p.  879,  '  Timothy  and  Titus  must 
have  been  living  with  the  Origen  family  for  many  years,  and 
possibly  other  of  the  vrli/iiutl  twelve  besides  John.  The 
u  faithful  men "  to  whom  they  committed  the  ordinances  of 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       309 

religion,  that  they  might  be  able  to  teach  others,  must  have 
been  contemporary  with  this  family  for  near  a  hundred  years. 
Now,  consider  the  insatiable  curiosity  of  Origen  to  acquire 
knowledge,  and  his  facilities  —  and  is  it  credible,  is  it  possible, 
that  he  should  have  been  ignorant  of  the  custom,  the  teaching, 
and  the  tradition  of  the  apostles  respecting  the  subjects  of 
baptism  ?  This  was  a  rite  of  almost  daily  occurrence,  common 
to  the  church  in  every  place.  Origen  traveled  extensively  to 
obtain  information;  he  visited  the  apostolic  churches,  and 
resided  among  the  chief  of  them.  Could  then  a  rite,  totally 
new,  unfounded,  and  contrary  to  apostolic  injunction  and  ex- 
ample, have  been  so  established,  and  so  long  prevail,  as  to  be 
received  as  an  ordinance  of  the  apostles  ?  Where  was  John, 
the  apostle,  and  Timothy,  and  Titus,  and  the  "  faithful  .men, 
able  to  teach  others  also  ? "  Where  were  Polycarp  and  Ire- 
naeus,  to  say  nothing  of  Barnabas  and  Hermas,  that  they  did 
not  rebuke  and  expose  the  delusion  of  those  who  would  thus 
forsake  the  commandment  of  the  Apostles  for  the  ordinances  of 
man  ?' 

"  From  this  you  discover,"  continued  Halley,  "  what  weight 
to  give  to  his  testimony.  Recollect  that  he  was  born  of  Christian 
parents.  He  saw  his  father  beheaded  for  professing  Christian- 
ity, and  he  himself  suffered  as  a  martyr  to  his  faith  in  subse- 
quent years.  When  only  seventeen,  previous  to  the  execution 
of  his  father,  in  order  to  encourage  him,  he  wrote  to  him  in 
these  words  :  '  Beware,  sir,  that  your  care  for  us  does  not  make 
you  change  your  resolution.'  Bear  this  in  mind,  as  we  examine 
his  testimony.  In  his  Homily  8th  on  Levit.  c.  xii.,  he  says : 
'  According  to  the  usage  of  the  church,  baptism  is  given  even 
to  infants;  when  if  there  were  nothing  in  infants  which  needed 
forgiveness  and  mercy,  the  grace  of  baptism  would  seem  to  be 
superfluous.'  He  here  was  laboring  to  establish  the  doctrine 
of  original  sin,  and  adduces  the  practice  of  infant  baptism  as  a 
proof  of  it. 


310  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  In  his  Homily  on  Luke  xiv.,  he  says :  '  Infants  are  bap- 
tized for  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  Of  what  sins?  Or  when 
have  they  sinned  ?  Or  can  there  be  any  reason  for  the  laver 
in  their  case,  unless  it  be  according  to  the  sense  we  have  men- 
tioned above,  viz.,  no  one  is  free  from  pollution,  though  he  has 
lived  but  one  day  upon  the  earth.  And  because  by  baptism 
native  pollution  is  taken  away,  therefore  infants  are  bajrtized.' 

"  But  his  most  important  testimony  is  found  in  his  Commen- 
tary on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  book  5,  where  he  says :  'For 
this  cause  it  teas  that  the  church  received  AN  ORDER  FROM  THE 
Apostles,  to  give  baptism  even  to  infants.'" 

"  Is  there  no  mistake  about  that  ?  "  asked  Elder  Mason,  get- 
ting uneasy  in  his  chair. 

"No  mistake  about  it  at  all,  sir !  You  can  examine  these 
works  yourself —  they  are  of  unquestioned  authority.  Here  it 
is  in  three  different  works  before  me,  and  here  are  the  transla- 
tions in  each  work.  Look  at  it,  sir !  You  can  read  it.  '  For 
this  cause  it  was  that  the  church  received  an  order  from  the 
Apostles,  to  give  baptism  even  to  infants.'  Is  that  not  satis- 
factory?" 

"What  does  Brother  Graves  say  about  this  man  Origen?" 
asked  Elder  Mason,  rather  nervously,  turning  to  Squire  Tanner. 

"I  do  not  know,"  said  Tanner,  "but  I  will  look  and  see." 

"You  look  in  vain!"  said  Halley.  "Your  author  —  3Ir. 
Graves  —  has  an  accommodating  memory;  and  the  existence  of 
such  a  man  as  Origen  entirely  slipped  his  mind !  And  this  is 
rather  remarkable  too,  inasmuch  as  Origen  was  one  of  the 
most  learned  and  distinguished  of  the  early  church  fathers; 
born  only  eighty-five  years  after  John  (A.  D.  185),  and  of 
noted  Christian  ancestry;  who  translated  the  Scriptures  into 
various  languages  by  the  assistance  of  others,  and  helped  to 
disseminate  them ;  a  man  of  vast  influence  in  the  church ;  re- 
nowned and  travelled.  I  have  no  doubt  that  if,  on  a  scrutiniz- 
ing and  most  diligent  examination  of  his  works,  there  could 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  T&UTH.       311 

have  been  found  a  sentence  that  possibly  might  have  been  con- 
strued against  infant  baptism  in  any  way  whatever,  he  would 
not  have  been  thus  overlooked — no,  he  would  not  have  escaped 
so  easily;  for  those  of  far  inferior  ability,  integrity,  and  repu- 
tation, have  been  called  out  from  their  long  resting-places,  and 
have  been  brought  forward  as  witnesses,  because,  forsooth,  a 
careless  sentence  or  remark  could  be  tortured  into  an  apparent 
support  of  Baptist  faith.  It  was  because  his  testimony  was 
incontrovertible,  his  reasoning  irrefutable,  his  argument  conclu- 
sive and  unanswerable,  and  his  evidence  unavoidable ;  it  was  on 
this  account  that  he  was  passed  over  in  silence,  hoping  the 
learned  would  not  notice,  and  the  ignorant  would  not  know." 

"Are  you  not  severe  in  your  charges?"  asked  Elder  Mason. 
"  Do  you  insinuate  that  he  is  in  the  habit  of  construing  things 
to  suit  his  own  purpose?  I  think  you  are  not  justified  in  mak- 
ing such  a  charge." 

••  We  will  see,"  replied  Halley.  "I  have  been  looking  over 
the  work  carefully,  and  noted  some  passages ;  and  therefore  ^m 
prepared  to  sustain  any  such  charge,  and  to  meet  the  challenge 
of  nonjustification  in  the  matter.  Turn  to  vol.  i.,  p.  320.  It 
reads :  •  Was  Archbishop  Cranmer,  who  suffered  martyrdom 
for  his  religion,  under  Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  a  good  and  holy 
man  ?'  Xow  this  is  the  first  time  I  ever  saw  it  intimated  that 
Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  was  really  Queen  of  England ;  or  that 
Cranmer  was  a  Scotchman;  or  even  that  he  ever  heard  of  such 
a  person  as  Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  for  she  was  in  France,  and 
only  a  young  girl  at  his  death.  But  to  the  charge  :  he  says,  on 
the  same  page,  '  Cranmer,  before  he  was  burnt,  had  been  very 
officious  and  energetic  in  bringing  Baptists  to  the  stake.'  Xow 
unless  he  can  prove  that  Joan  Bocher  and  George  van  Paris 
were  Baptists  —  which  I  am  sure  you  would  not  like  to  do,  or 
to  have  him  do,  and  thereby  endorse  their  ideal  monstrosities 
and  heretical  notions  —  this  charge  is  entirely  unfounded  with 
regard  to  Cranmer  'before  Tie  was   burnt;'   and  whether  the 


312  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

charge  can  be  sustained  against  him  after  he  was  burnt,  I  will 
leave  you  to  judge.  I  do  not  attempt  to  uphold  Cranmer  where 
he  erred,  or  to  palliate  his  crimes,  if  such  they  are;  but  to 
show  that  this  charge  is  made  merely  for  effect.  His  voucher 
for  this  statement  is  Neal's  History  of  the  Puritans ;  and  I  will 
read  you  what  he  says  of  these  two  persons,  who  are  the  only 
ones  mentioned  in  whose  death  Cranmer  had  any  direct  agency. 
And  I  desire  you  to  observe  the  charge  brought  against  them. 
Was  it  on  the  ground  of  baptism  ?  Was  it  made  because  they 
were  Baptists,  and  therefore  repudiated  infant  baptism  ?  Mr. 
Graves  leaves  the  impression  that  they  were  persecuted  in  view 
of  their  Bajitist  faith ;  if  such  is  the  fact,  it  is  a  kind  of  faith 
I  think  few,  in  these  times,  will  endorse.  See  vol.  i.,  p.  35 : 
'  Among  others  who  fled  out  of  Germany  into  England,  from 
the  rustic  war,  there  were  some  that  went  by  the  name  of  Ana- 
baptists, who,  besides  the  principle  of  adult  baptism,  held  seve- 
ral wild  notions  about  the  Trinity,  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  tbe 
person  of  Christ.  Complaint  being  made  of  them  to  the  coun- 
cil, a  commission  was  ordered  to  six  of  the  bishops,  and  some 
other  divines,  to  search  after  all  Anabaptists,  heretics,  or  con- 
temners of  the  common  prayer,  whom  they  were  to  endeavor  to 
reclaim,  and  after  penance  to  give  absolution ;  but  if  they  con- 
tinued obstinate,  they  were  to  excommunicate,  imprison,  and  to 
deliver  them  over  to  the  secular  arm.  Several  tradesmen  who 
were  brought  before  the  commissioners  abjured;  but  Joan 
Bocher,  or  Joan  of  Kent,  obstinately  maintained  that  Christ 
was  not  truly  incarnate  of  the  Virgin,  etc.,  and  was  burnt. 
About  two  years  after,  one  Van  Paris,  a  Dutchman,  being  con- 
victed of  saying  that  God  the  Father  was  only  God,  and  that 
Christ  was  not  very  God,  and  refusing  to  abjure,  was  con- 
demned and  burnt  in  Smithficld.' 

"  Again  :  he  says,  '  Luther  urged  the  princes  of  his  country 
to  persecute  those  who  could  not  conform  to  his  opinions.'  No 
authority  is  referred  to  for  this,  and  for  the  very  best  of  rea- 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  313 

sons,  there  is  none  reliable  to  be  found ;  and  it  did  not  seem 
proper,  then,  to  assert  that  there  was  any.  But  in  vol.  i.  pages 
418-19,  he  says:  ' Luther  had  no  great  objections  to  the  Bap- 
tists in  his  early  efforts.  He  encouraged  the  Munzer  of  noto- 
riety, who  was  a  Bapist  minister,  and  so  highly  esteemed  by 
Luther,  as  to  be  named  his  Absalom.  Their  united  efforts 
greatly  increased  persons  of  the  Baptist  persuasion.  When  the 
news  reached  Luther  of  Carlstadt  rebaptizing  (that  is,  bap- 
tizing those  that  had  only  received  popish  baptism),  that 
Munzer  had  won  the  hearts  of  the  people,  and  that  the  Refor- 
mation was  going  on  in  his  absence;  he,  on  the  6th  of  March, 
1522,  flew  like  lightning  from  his  confinement,  at  the  hazard 
of  his  life,  and  without  the  advice  of  his  patron,  to  put  a  stop 
to  Carlstadt's  proceedings.  (He  now  refers  to  some  authority)  : 
see  Maclean's  Mosheim,  vol.  iii.  page  45.  The  success  and 
number  of  the  Baptists  exasperated  him  to  the  last  degree.'  I 
will  turn  to  the  authority  referred  to,  and  read :  '  His  zeal 
(speaking  of  Carlstadt),  however,  was  intemperate,  his  plans 
laid  with  temerity,  and  executed  without  moderation.  During 
Luther's  absence,  he  threw  down  and  broke  the  images  of  the 
saints  that  were  placed  in  the  churches ;  and  instead  of  restrain- 
ing the  vehemence  of  a  fanatical  multitude,  who  had  already 
begun  in  some  places  to  abuse  the  precious  liberty  that  was 
dawning  upon  them,  he  encouraged  their  ill-timed  violence,  and 
led  them  on  to  sedition  and  mutiny.  Luther  opposed  the  im- 
<petuosity  of  this  impudent  reformer  with  the  utmost  fortitude 
and  dignity ;  and  wisely  exhorted  him  and  his  adherents,  first 
to  eradicate  error  from  the  minds  of  the  people,  before  they 
made  war  upon  its  external  signs  in  the  churches  and  public 
places ;  since  the  former  being  first  removed,  the  latter  must 
follow  of  course.'  Here  you  see  there  is  not  a  word  about 
Munzer,  nor  a  single  sentence  referring  to  Baptists,  nor  to  the 
point  in  question.  There  is  in  a  foot-note  from  Dr.  Maclean 
himself,  the  following  passage  :  '  On  the  other  hand  it  must  be 
27 


314  ANNA     CLAYTON;      OR, 

owned  that  Carlstadt  was  rash,  violent,  and  prone  to  enthu- 
siasm, as  appears  from  the  connections  he  formed  afterward 
with  the  FANATICAL  Anabaptists  headed  by  Munzer. 

"  There  is  nothing  in  Mosheim  which  indicates  that  Munzer 
and  Luther  were  ever  friendly  or  labored  together;  not  a  word 
that  he  ever  encouraged  him  in  his  labors ;  not  a  syllable  that 
1  their  united  efforts  greatly  increased  persons  of  the  Baptist 
persuasion  ;'  nothing  intimating  anything  of  the  kind  !  In  the 
passage  quoted,  Munzer  is  declared,  by  your  author  there,  a 
Baptist  minister.  Let  us  see  what  kind  of  a  Baptist  minister 
he  was.  Dr.  Mosheim  says  (Dr.  Murdock's  ed.,  pages  38,  and 
202,  vol.  iii.)  :  '  Respecting  religion  there  was  no  great  dispute. 
But  when  the  fanatic,  Thomas  Munzer,  who  had  before  de- 
ceived several  by  his  fictitious  visions  and  dreams,  and  some 
others  of  a  similar  character,  had  joined  this  irritated  multitude, 
from  being  a  civil  commotion,  it  became,  especially  in  Saxony 
and  Thuringia,  a  religious  or  holy  war.  *  *  But  these  forces 
were  routed  without  much  difficulty  by  the  Elector  of  Saxony 
and  other  princes ;  Munzer,  the  firebrand  of  sedition,  was 
put  to  death,  and  his  aiders  and  abettors  were  dispersed.'  The 
Encyclopaedia  Americana  calls  him  a  '  German  fanatic' 
This,  then,  is  your  Baptist  divine;  and  through  him  your 
lineage  is  traced  —  or  rather  to  him.  And  as  to  Luther's  per- 
secutions of  others,  there  is  not  the  least  foundation  for  any 
such  charge ;  for  it  is  a  well-known  historical  fact,  that  he  was 
ever  for  peace,  and  for  free  and  open  discussion.  He  used  his 
influence  to  restrain  the  princes,  and  others,  from  violent  mea- 
sures. He  opposed  the  league  of  Smalcald,  for  he  said,  'he 
believed  that  men  should  repose  themselves  wholly  on  the  pro- 
vidence of  God,  without  venturing  upon  any  measures  suggested 
by  policy'  (see  Mosheim,  vol.  iii.  page  56,  n.  6).  He  openly 
preached  against  violent  measures  being  taken,  even  against 
his  bitterest  enemies. 

"Again    on    the   same    page  (320),  Mr.  Graves  says:   that 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  315 

'  Calvin  procured  the  condemnation  of  Servetus.'  The  court 
at  Vienne  had  condemned  Servetus,  and  he  had  fled  to  Geneva, 
and  was  there  concealed  four  weeks.  Calvin  saw  him  whilst 
there,  and  informed  the  government  at  Geneva.  He  was  ap- 
prehended ;  the  governor  of  Vienne  came  with  the  sentence 
which  had  been  passed,  and  requested  the  court  at  Geneva  to 
give  him  up;  but  on  the  importunate  request  of  Servetus  him- 
self, that  he  should  be  tried  at  Geneva,  they  refused  to  give 
him  up ;  he  was  consequently  tried  there,  and  condemned 
(see  Mosheim,  Murdock's  ed.,  vol.  iii.  pages  225—6)  :  '  The 
court  of  Geneva,  now  unanimously,  condemned  Servetus  to  be 
burned  alive  the  day  following.  Calvin,  and  the  other  minis- 
ters of  Geneva,  interceded  for  a  milder  death :  but  the  court 
would  not  yield.' 

"  Once  more  :  '  Our  Pilgrim  Fathers  persecuted  the  Quakers 
and  the  Baptists,  and  condemned  them  to  banishment  and 
death.'  Will  he  point  out  instances,  or  a  single  instance,  where 
they  were  condemned  to  death  on  account  of  their  religion  ? 
If  they  committed  murder  or  treason,  or  by  any  other  means 
violated  the  laws  of  the  land,  they  were  dealt  with  as  criminals 
and  not  as  Baptists.  Even  the  celebrated  Roger  Williams,  of 
whom  you  made  so  much  capital,  was  no  Baptist  when  he  was 
banished  from  Salem.  The  Maine  Evangelist,  near  the  close 
of  the  summer  of  1858,  says  :  '  Roger  Williams  was  a  Congre- 
gational minister  whilst  in  Massachusetts;  and  he  did  not 
become  a  Baptist  till  two  years  after  he  left  the  State.  He  was 
banished,  or  rather  fled,  because  the  magistrates  thought  him 
teaching  seditions  and  revolutionary  doctrines,  and  were  about 
to  transport  him  to  England  for  trial.  It  was  two  years  after 
he  fled  to  Rhode  Island,  before  he  embraced  Baptist  views  and 
formed  a  Baptist  church;  but  remained  in  it  but  a  year ;  with- 
drawing from  all  church  connection.  Whatever  may  have 
been  the  truth  or  error  of  his  principles  which  gave  offence, 
they  were  such  as  lie  held  as  a  Congregational  minister.'     This 


816  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

is  also  found  substantial///  in  the  Encyclopaedia  Americana. 
Now  all  these  assertions,  Elder  Mason,  which  we  have  been 
considering,  are  found  on  one  page ! " 

"  Probably  that  page  is  an  exception,"  said  Elder  Mason. 
"  Xo  doubt  he  was  misinformed  on  those  points." 

"An  exception!"  repeated  Halley,  sarcastically.  "Let  us 
see  if  it  is  an  exception.  Turn  to  page  220,  where  you  will  find 
Dr.  Wall  quoted  so  as  to  leave  the  impression  with  those  wbo 
read  it,  that  he  admits  that  the  Scriptures  furnish  no  warrant 
for  infant  baptism.  '  Dr.  Wall,  the  most  eminent  of  them  all, 
distinctly  declares :  Among  all  persons  that  are  recorded  as 
baptized  by  the  Apostles,  there  is  no  express  mention  of  in- 
fants.' Mark  the  expression  :  '  no  express  mention'!  No  one 
claims  that  there  is  any  express  mention  of  the  baptism  of  an 
infant !  Probably,  Mr.  Graves,  if  he  had  thought  my  name 
could  have  been  tortured  into  his  support,  would  have  placed 
it  on  the  list  of  those  bearing  evidence  for  him ;  and  the  next 
tract  published  by  the  General  Baptist  Tract  Society,  or  the 
Baptist  Publication  Society,  entitled, '  Scriptural  Guide  to  Bap- 
tism,' would  have  attached  to  my  name  a  garbled  quotation, 
wholly  misrepresenting  my  views,  and  endorsed  by  Pengilly ! 

"  The  quotation  is  essentially  true  as  far  as  it  goes.  Here  is 
the  passage  more  at  large :  '  The  commission  given  by  our 
Savior  to  his  disciples,  in  the  time  of  his  mortal  life,  to  bap- 
tize in  the  country  of  Judea,  is  not  at  all  set  down  in  Scrip- 
ture ;  only,  it  is  said,  that  they  baptized  a  great  many ;  and  the 
enlargement  of  that  commission  given  them  afterwards  (Matt. 
xxviii.  19),  to  perform  the  same  office  among  all  the  heathen 
nations,  is  set  down  in  such  brief  words,  that  there  is  no  par- 
ticular direction  given  what  they  were  to  do  in  reference  to  the 
children  of  those  that  received  the  faith ;  and  among  all  the 
persons  that  are  recorded  as  baptized  by  the  apostles,  there  is 
no  express  mention  of  any  infant;  nor  is  there,  on  the  other 
side,  any  account  of  any  Christian's  child,  whose  baptism  was 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  317 

put  off  till  lie  was  grown  up,  or  who  was  baptized  at  man's  age/ 
But  he  says,  vol.  ii.  p.  521,  speaking  of  1  Cor.  vii.  14 :  '  This 
interpretation,  or  such  as  amounts  to  the  like  effect,  I  have 
shown  to  be  the  most  current  among  the  primitive  Christians. 
And  if  it  be  allowed,  there  needs  no  more  evidence  for  it 
(infant  baptism)  from  Scripture.'  And  again,  in  vol.  iv.  p.  509, 
he  says,  speaking  of  children  being  received  through  baptism 
and  made  members  of  Christ's  kingdom:  'And  the  sanction 
here  given  to  the  command  of  such  a  receiving  of  them  is  the 
highest  that  is  ever  given;  even  the  same  that  is  given  to  the 
command  of  receiving  the  apostles  themselves.  For  as  it  was 
said  to  them,  He  that  receiveth  you  receiveth  me;  and  he  that 
receiveth  me  receiveth  him  that  sent  me;  so  the  very  same  is 
said  here  of  receiving  children  in  his  name.' 

"  Again  (p.  220)  :  '  Bishop  Burnet  says,  There  is  no  express 
precept  or  rule  given  in  the  New  Testament  for  the  baptism  of 
infants.'  Express  precept  again  !  Express  mention,  express 
precept,  express  rule,  is  thrust  into  your  eyes  from  nearly  every 
page !  We  claim,  and  so  did  Bishop  Burnet,  that  an  express 
precept  is  not  necessary,  for  we  can  be  taught  truths  and  doc- 
trines without  express  precepts  or  commands ! 

"  Next  comes  Richard  Baxter ;  he  is  dragged  out  by  Pen- 
gilly,  and  then  again  by  Mr.  Graves,  and  made  apparently  to 
bear  evidence  for  them  (p.  220)  :  'Richard  Baxter  says,  I  con- 
clude that  all  the  examples  of  baptism  in  the  Scriptures  do 
mention  only  the  the  administration  of  it  to  the  professors  of 
saving  faith ;  and  the  precepts  give  no  other  direction.'  Let 
us  examine  this  evidence  a  little  j  the  quotation  is  taken  from 
a  work  where  he  was  reasoning  on  an  entirely  different  subject, 
and  it  is  only  used  in  the  sense  of  an  illustration  whereby  to 
throw  his  opponent  in  a  quandary,  and  is  NOT  his  opinion  at  all ; 
nor  was  it  put  forth  as  such ;  and  Pengilly  and  Graves  were 
aware  of  this  when  they  quoted  it !  Thus  they  dragged  him 
in,  as  they  have  many  others,  to  bear  witness  against  himself— 
27* 


318  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

and  against  infant  baptism  \     Is  this  dealing  fairly  with  the 
dead  ?     Is   it   dealing  righteously  with   the  truth  ?     Richard 
Baxter,  your  name  is  spread  abroad  in  tracts  and  books  which 
are  scattered  broadcast  over  the  world — carried,  as  by  the  winds, 
into  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  earth  —  as  though  you  had 
borne  testimony  against  that  ordinance  you  so  dearly  prized, 
and  would  have  given  up  no  sooner  than  you  would  your  life  ! 
Is  this  a  true  representation  of  you  ?     Did  you  believe  one 
thing,  and  advocate  and  practise  another  ?     What  have  you  to 
say  of  infants  and  of  their  privileges,  Richard  Baxter  ?     I 
wonder  that  such  slanders  do  not  call  the  departed  witnesses 
for  Christ  from  their  long  resting-places  !     But,  as  it  happens, 
Baxter  left  abundant  testimony  which,  in  his   own  burning 
words,  speaks  for  him  trumpet-tongued  !     He  says  :  '  God  had 
never  a  church  on  earth  of  which  infants  were  not  infant  mem- 
bers since  there  xcere  infants  in  the  world'  (See  Commentary  on 
Matt,  xxviii.  19).     And  more,  he  held  public  discussions  with 
Baptists  on  the  subject,  and  published  two  works  on  the  Scrip- 
ture proof  of  infant  baptism !     And  yet,  notwithstanding  all 
this,  these  men  can  quote  a  passage  from  another  work,  treating 
upon  another  subject,  and  which,  disconnected  from  the  con- 
text, ajypears  to  witness  against  the  faith  in  which  he  lived,  and 
labored,  and  died,  and  palm  it  off  upon  the  people  as  his  belief 
and  teachings  !     Is  this  honorable  ?     Is  it  the  index  of  a  true 
Christian  character  and  spirit  ?     Still  these  men  have  set  forth 
equal  misrepresentations  upon  almost  every  page  of  their  entire 
works  on  this  subject!     I  know  a  young  man,  now  a  Pedobap- 
tist  clergyman,  who  was  once  a  Baptist,  and  was  led  to  see  his 
error  just  by  the  garbled  quotations  found  in  the  '  Scripture 
Guide  to  Baptism/  by  Pengilly.     He  was  one  of  those  very 
few  readers  who  desire  to  look  up  the  quotations,  and  to  decide 
for  themselves ;  or  who  are  so  situated  as  to  be  able  to  do  so. 
In  comparing  the  representations  of   Pengilly  with  the  true 
views  of  the  authors,  he  was  so  disgusted  that  he  went  into  a 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  819 

thorough  and  candid  investigation  of  the  whole  ground ;  which 
led  him — as  T  verily  believe  it  will  every  one,  where  the  inves- 
tigation is  both  thorough  and  candid,  without  prejudice — to  see 
that  this  peculiar  faith  of  the  Baptist  denomination  is  not  only 
unfeeling  and  unnatural,  but  also  unscriptural  and  unchristlike. 

"  Look  now  on  the  next  page  (221).  He  says  :  '  Even  your 
Presbyterian  Doctor  Miller,  of  Princeton  Theological  Seminary, 
says  :  "  Tbe  fact  is,  that  during  the  whole  threescore  years  after 
the  ascension  of  Christ,  which  is  embraced  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment history,  we  have  no  hint  of  the  baptism  of  infants  born  of 
Christian  parents."  ' 

"  This  is  just  what  we  have  stated  here.  Mark  the  expres- 
sion, 'infants  born  of  Christian  parents  V  That  is  not  saying, 
nor  did  he  believe,  there  was  no  hint  of  the  baptism  of  infants 
born  of  Gentile  and  Jewish  parents,  who  were  converted  to  the 
Christian  faith.  He  (Graves)  well  knew  that  probably  not  one 
in  a  hundred  of  the  readers  of  that  work  would  notice  the 
difference;  and  yet  it  makes  all  the  difference  in  the  world. 
Mr.  Graves  did  not  expect  his  readers  to  have  discernment 
enough  to  notice  that  that  quotation  was  one  which  tended  to 
overthrow  the  very  point  he  was  trying  to  establish ;  but  only, 
that  he  had  the  name  of  such  a  renowned  man  as  Dr.  Miller  on 
his  side,  helping  him  to  overthrow  the  whole  structure  of  pedo- 
baptism  !  What  a  mistake  !  I  repeat  the  words  of  Dr.  Miller  : 
1  that  in  the  New  Testament  history  we  have  no  hint  of  the 
baptism  of  infants  born  of  Christian  parents  —  nor  of  such  in- 
fants when  they  were  grown  up  to  be  adults,  and  who  believed  and 
were  reckoned  among  Christ's  followers  !  How  is  this  ?  Can 
Mr.  Graves  explain  it  ?  Will  you  tell  me  the  reason.  We  have 
numerous  accounts  of  Gentile  and  Jewish  converts,  who,  when 
they  believed,  were  baptized  and  their  families;  but  never  a 
lisp  of  a  believer's  child  being  baptized,  which,  when  arriving 
at  an  age  of  understanding,  believed  edso.  Not  one.  Yet  there 
must  have  been  many  thousands  of  them,  for  the  time  embraced 


320  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

in  the  New  Testament  history  comprises  several  generations  of 
children.  Read  Dr.  Miller's  argument,  and  you  will  find  that 
he  has  not  left  us  in  doubt  with  regard  to  his  belief:  I  would 
recommend  it  to  your  perusal.  I  will  cpuote  but  two  short  pas- 
sages from  it.  '  Although  the  New  Testament  does  not  contain 
any  specific  texts  which,  in  so  many  words,  declare  that  the 
infant  seed  of  believers  are  members  of  the  churh  in  virtue  of 
their  birth ;  yet  it  abounds  in  passages  which  cannot  be  reason- 
ably explained  but  in  harmony  with  this  doctrine.  Instead  of 
our  Baptist  brethren  having  a  right  to  call  upon  us  to  find  a 
direct  warrant  in  the  New  Testament  in  favor  of  infant  member- 
ship, we  have  a  right  to  call  upon  them  to  produce  a  direct 
warrant  for  the  great  and  sudden  change  which  they  allege  took 
place.  If  it  be  as  they  say,  that  the  New  Testament  is  silent 
on  the  subject,  this  very  silence  is  quite  sufficient  to  destroy  their 
cause  and  to  establish  ows.'     Is  this  not  sufficiently  distinct  ? 

"  Again,  your  author  remarks  (p.  220)  :  '  Martin  Luther,  the 
great  reformer,  says  :  '  It  cannot  be  proved  that  infant  baptism 
was  instituted  by  Christ,  or  by  the  first  Christians  after  the 
Apostles.'  When  or  where  Luther  said  this,  he  does  not  think 
proper  to  inform  us.  But  if  he  ever  did  say  it,  he  has  also 
said  that  which  is  exactly  the  reverse  of  it,  as  I  can  point  you 
here  to  the  very  pages  (See  Singularia  Luthcri,  Jena  ed.,  1504, 
Art.  Baptism,  p.  057).  He  is  proving  that  baptism  is  not  a 
saving  ordinance,  and  says  :  '  That  the  dipping  of  a  child  in 
water,  or  the  sprinkling  it  with  water  according  to  the  command, 
of  Christ,  should  cleanse  it  from  sin  and  transfer  it  from  the 
kingdom  of  Satan  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  is  reviled  by  reason.' 
Again,  in  the  same  article,  p.  002  :  '  I  consider  that  by  far  the 
safest  baptism,  is  the  baptism  of  children.'  Once  more,  p.  003  : 
'  We  conclude  that  children  believe  at  baptism,  and  have  a 
faith  of  their  own  :  that  Cod  produces  it  in  them  in  answer  to 
the  faithful  prayers  and  obedience  of  the  sponsors.' 

"A  vast  deal  more  might  be  adduced,  but  this  is  abundantly 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       321 

sufficient  to  prove  that  Luther's  belief  and  practice  was  alto- 
gether on  the  other  side  of  the  question.  Not  long  since  I 
took  up  a  Baptist  publication  in  which  was  an  article  headed 
'  Martin  Luther  almost  a  Baptist,'  and  again  the  old  story  was 
told  over  about  Luther's  translation  of  the  Bible,  in  which  he 
renders  baptize,  Taufcn,  which  signifies  immerse,  etc.  I  laid 
the  publication  down  with  a  feeling  akin  to  disgust.  Is  it  pos- 
sible, thought  I,  that  they  will  persist  in  repeating  that  same 
old  story,  although  so  often  corrected,  right  in  the  face  of  facts, 
and  that  too,  when  every  German  who  can  read  his  Bible  will 
tell  them  it  is  false  !  For  a  moment  let  us  look  at  the  reason 
of  the  thing.  When  Martin  Luther  took  water  in  his  hand 
and  sprinkled  it  upon  the  head  of  a  child,  saying,  '  Ich  taufe 
dich,'  etc.,  did  he  mean,  I  immerse  you  ?  Would  the  people 
so  understand  him  ?     Is  it  possible  ?  " 

"  There  may  be  some  such  thing  afloat  in  newspaper  litera- 
ture," said  Elder  Mason;  "but  I  do'nt  think  it  ever  came 
from  a  source  authorized  by  the  church.  It  does  not  look  rea- 
sonable." 

"  It  comes,  sir,  from  the  very  highest  authority  in  your 
church,"  replied  Halley.  "And  as  it  happens,  I  have  that 
authority  at  hand.  It  is  in  the  Report  of  the  Baptist  Bible 
Society  for  1840,  and  on  p.  89  it  reads:  'Other  translators 
may  do  as  they  please-;  baptize  may  be  twisted  into  all  sorts  of 
meanings  except  immersion  —  unless,  indeed,  in  the  case  of  old 
versions.  Luther  may  say  that  it  means  to  immerse,  and  his 
version  shall  continue  to  be  circulated;  but  woe  be  to  the  Bap- 
tists if  they  say  so,  and  what  is  the  reason?'  Mr.  Woolsey 
says  also,  p.  *\A,  '  That  Luther  rendered  baptize  into  a  word  sig- 
nifying to  immerse.' " 

"  I  think  they  would  not  say  so,  if  it  were  not  true,"  said 
Elder  Mason. 

"  You  could  sooner  believe  that  Martin  Luther  would  sprin- 
kle a  little  water  on  the  head  of  a  child  before  a  congregation, 

V 


322  ANNJ     CLAYTON;     OR, 

and  say,  e  Z  immerse  you/  I  suppose!  But  here  is  authority  at 
hand.  Here  is  a  German  Bible,  and  here  are  German  Lexi- 
cons ;  and  let  the  Germans  themselves  determine  the  meaning 
of  words  in  their  own  language. 

'•Weber's  German  and  English  Lexicon  is  of  unquestioned 
authority,  and  gives  the  following  definitions,  which  are  fully 
corroborated  by  Adler's : 

"  Tau/e,  baptism,  christening;  tau/en,  to  baptize,  to  christen. 

"  And  here  are  the  German  words  given  for  immerge,  im- 
merse, and  immersion  : 

'•Immerge,  eintauchen,  untertauchen,  versenken. 

"Immerse,  eintauchen,  untertauchen,  versenken. 

"Immersion,  die  Eintauchung,  das  LTntertauchen. 

"Buckkardt  and  Adler,  in  their  Lexicons,  give  the  same 
definitions.  The  word  tau/e  never  conveys  the  idea  of  immer- 
sion to  a  German  mind.  This  is  enough  to  vindicate  Martin 
Luther,  and  his  version  of  the  Bible. 

"On  p.  323  he  states  again  :  '  John  Calvin,  the  founder  of 
your  Presbyterian  church,  says,  It  is  nowhere  expressed  by  the 
Evangelists  that  any  one  infant  was  baptized.'  He  also  brings 
up  the  name  of  Dr.  Dwight ;  but  what  do  these  men  say  ? 
Calvin,  in  his  Com.  on  Harmony  of  the  Evangelists,  vol.  ii. 
p.  390,  says  :  'We,  on  the  other  hand,  maintain  that  since  bap- 
tism is  the  pledge  and  figure  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and 
likewise  of  adoption  by  God,  it  ought  not  to  be  denied  to  m- 
fants,  whom  God  adopts  and  washes  with  the  blood  of  his  Son. 
Certainly  tlie  laying  on  of  hands  was  not  a  trifling  or  empty 
sign,  and  the  prayers  of  Christ  were  not  idly  wasted  in  air. 
But  he  could  not  present  the  infants  solemnly  to  God,  without 
giving  them  purity.  And  for  what  did  he  pray  for  them,  but 
that  they  might  be  received  into  the  number  of  the  children 
of  God?  Hence  it  follows,  that  they  were  renewed  by  the 
Spirit  to  the  hope  of  salvation.  In  short,  by  embracing  them, 
he  testified  that  they  were  reckoned  by  Christ  among  his  flock. 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  323 

And  if  they  tcere  partakers  of  the  spiritual  gifts,  which  are 
represented  by  baptism,  it  is  unreasonable  that  they  should  be 
deprived  of  the  outward  sign.'  And  thus  speaks  Dr.  Dwight, 
vol.  iv.  p.  340,  Sermon  159 :  '  Such  children,  then,  among 
Gentiles,  as  are  horn  of  those  who  profess  the  religion  of  the 
Scriptures,  are  included  in  the  covenant,  and  arc  to  be  baptized.1 
Mr.  Graves  refers  also  to  Dr.  Taylor,  of  the  Church  of  England. 
Dr.  Wall  says  of  him,  vol.  ii.  p.  22  :  'There  were  no  need  of 
mentioning  Bishop  Taylor,  were  it  not  for  some  importunate 
anti-pedobaptists,  who  cite  him  in  this  controversy  against  his 
will.  He,  in  the  times  of  the  rebellion  in  England,  wrote  a 
treatise  called  The  Liberty  of  Prophesying,  in  which  he  under- 
took to  show  how  much  might  be  said  for  two  sorts  of  dissent- 
ers, the  anti-pedobaptists  and  the  papists;  saying  thus  :  "  These 
two  are  the  most  troublesome,  and  most  disliked;  and  by  an 
account  made  of  these,  we  may  make  judgment  what  may  be 
done  towards  others,  whose  errors  are  not  apprehended  of  so 
great  malignity."  In  this  he  declares  himself  well  satisfied 
with  the  principles  of  pedobaptism,  of  which  he  gives  a  sum- 
mary account,  and  says  that  he  "  takes  the  other  opinion  to  be 
an  error,"  yet  under  pretence  of  reciting  what  may  be  said  for 
that  error,  he  draws  up  so  elaborate  a  system  of  arguments 
against  infant  baptism,  and  sets  them  forth  to  the  utmost,  by 
such  advantage  of  style,  that  he  is  judged  to  have  said  more  for 
the  anti-pedobaptists  than  they  were  ever  before  able  to  say  for 
themselves.'  It  is,  I  presume,  like  Bishop  Whately's  argument 
showing  that  there  never  has  been  such  a  man  as  Napoleon 
Bonaparte.  Dr.  Whately  believes  that  there  has  lived  such  a 
man,  yet  he  made  it  appear  very  probable,  logically,  that  there 
never  was  such  a  man ;  yet  who  would  be  so  silly  as  to  quote 
passages  from  this  argument,  and  thereby  maintain  that  Bishop 
AVhately  candidly  and  believingly  denied  the  existence  of  Na- 
poleon? But  this  is  just  what  Graves  and  Pengilly  have  done 
in  reference  to  Bishop  Taylor ! 


324  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"And  moreover,  we  notice  that  on  the  page  already  cited, 
Mr.  Graves  makes  even  Prof.  Closes  Stuart,  Dr.  Leonard  "Woods, 
Dr.  Knapp,  and  Matthew  Henry,  repeat  that  there  are  no  '  ex- 
press commands'  for  infant  baptism  in  the  New  Testament,  and 
thereby  endeavors  to  throw  the  influence  of  their  names  against 
what  they  loved,  believed,  and  practised.  There  are  clouds  of 
other  quotations  that  we  cannot  notice  singly;  so  quoted,  and 
in  such  connections,  and  for  such  purposes,  as  to  come  heaven- 
wide  of  the  faith  in  which  these  men  lived  and  died.  These 
men  went  to  the  word  of  God  for  their  doctrine.  Whatever 
would  not  stand  the  test  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  they  rejected. 
They  taught  and  practised  sprinkling  as  the  proper  mode  of 
baptism;  they  practised  infant  baptism,  and  taught  that  it  was 
a  Divine  institution,  founded  and  approved  by  God  himself. 
For  the  warrant  of  both  these  they  went,  as  we  now  do,  to  the 
Bible.  And  yet  these,  and  other  Baptist  writers,  attempt  to  lay 
the  influence  of  their  names,  and  the  weight  of  their  piety,  into 
the  scale  against  the  doctrines  which  they  believed,  practised, 
and  inculcated !  These  names  are  brought  up  in  a  long  cate- 
gory, and  arrayed  against  their  brethren  by  making  quotations 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  create  an  unfair  and  untrue  impression 
of  their  views  and  principles  !  Take  these  names  from  their 
books,  and  also  the  quotations  annexed  to  them,  and  there  is 
nothing  left  but  a  lifeless  carcass  —  a  skeleton  !  And  one,  too, 
of  such  a  nature  and  character,  that  its  'dry  bones'  can  never 
be  clothed  by  the  Spirit  and  word  of  God !  Could  Baxter, 
Calvin,  Luther,  "Wall,  Stuart,  Chalmers,  McKnight;  Miller, 
Burnet,  Taylor,  Wesley,  "Whitfield,  Doddridge,  Henry,  Knapp, 
Dwight,  and  others,  appear  here  in  our  midst  to-day,  they 
would  lift  up  their  voices  in  withering,  burning  words,  for  the 
ordinances  which  now  their  nam's  are  made  to  impugn.  If  I 
have  been  severe  in  these  remarks,  it  is  but  the  severity  of 
truth.  Have  I  been  too  severe  in  setting  forth  these  misrepre- 
sentations ? " 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  325 

"  Xo,"  said  Elder  Clayton.  "  To  be  thus  dishonest  through 
sectarian  zeal  in  the  cause  of  our  Master,  can  scarcely  be  de- 
nounced with  too  much  severity." 

"  Let  us  resume,  then,  our  chain  of  evidences  for  Infant 
Baptism,  drawn  from  the  church  fathers.  Next  after  Origen, 
in  the  order  of  time,  comes  Cyprian,  Bishop  of  Carthage,  who 
was  born  about  one  hundred  years  after  the  Apostles.  In  the 
year  A.  1).  253  —  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  only  after 
the  Apostles  —  sixty-six  bishops  met  in  council  at  Carthage. 
Fid  us,  a  country  bishop,  had  sent  a  letter  with  two  cases,  on 
which  he  desired  their  opinion.  The  one  which  relates  to  our 
present  subject  was,  whether  an  infant  might  be  baptized  he/ore 
it  was  eight  days  old.  In  their  reply  there  were  the  following 
passages :  '  Cyprian  and  the  rest  of  the  bishops  who  were  pre- 
sent in  the  council,  sixty-six  in  number,  to  Fidus  our  Brother, 
Greeting. — As  to  the  case  of  Infants; — whereas  you  judge  that 
tic  y  must  not  be  baptized  within  two  or  three  days  after  tiny  are 
born,  and  that  the  rule  of  circumcision  is  to  be  observcel,  that  no 
one  should  be  baptized  and  sanctified  before  the  eighth  day  aft'  r 
he  is  bom  ;  "We  were  all  in  the  council  of  a  very  different  opi- 
nion. As  for  what  you  thought  proper  to  be  done,  not  one  was 
of  your  mind ;  but  we  all  rather  judged  that  the  mercy  and 
grace  of  God  is  to  be  denied  to  no  human  being  that  is  born. — 
This  therefore,  dear  brother,  was  our  opinion  in  the  council ; 
that  we  ought  not  to  hinder  any  person  from  baptism  and  the 
grace  of  God,  who  is  merciful  and  kind  to  all.  And  this  rule, 
as  it  holds  for  all,  is,  we  think,  more  especially  to  be  observed 
in  reference  to  infants,  even  to  those  newly  born.'  (See  Wall's 
Hist.  In.  Bap.,  vol.  i.  chap.  6,  p.  129  ss.) 

"  Now,  Scpiire  Tanner,  turn,  if  you  please,  to  your  text-books, 
vol.  i.  p.  221,  and  vol.  ii.  p.  226,  and  you  will  see  it  there 
stated : '  The  necessity  of  infant  baptism  was  never  asserted  by  any 
council  before  that  of  Carthage,  held  A.  D.  418.'  This  is  as 
near  the  truth  as  he  usually  gets.  The  council  was  held  A.  D. 
28 


326  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

253  (see  Moslieim,  vol.  in.  p.  172 ;  Dr.  Hase's  Ch.  Hist.,  p.  90  • 

and  Schaff' s  Ap.  Ch.,  p.  581 :  Dr.  Schaff  makes  it  a  little  earlier, 
A.  D.  246),  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  (or  according  to  Dr. 
Schaff,  172)  years  earlier  than  Brother  Graves  has  it.  Now 
Cyprian,  the  head  of  this  council,  was  the  successor  of  Tertul- 
lian,  a  presbyter  in  Carthage,  and  was  converted  in  A.  D.  246, 
and  received  the  crown  of  martyrdom  A.  D.  259.  And  in  view 
of  this  testimony,  is  it  possible  to  suppose  that  sixty-six  bishops, 
gathered  from  all  parts  of  the  land,  only  150  years  after  the 
Apostles,  and  headed  by  the  most  distinguished  man  in  the 
whole  Christian  church  at  that  time,  should  not  have  doubted 
—  no,  not  a  single  one  of  them  —  as  to  the  propriety  of  apply- 
ing the  ordinance  of  baptism  to  infants  —  even  '  under  eight 
days  old' — if,  indeed,  it  had  not  been  the  universal  practice  of 
the  entire  church  of  Christ  to  baptize  infants  ?  And  this  is  the 
more  remarkable  from  the  fact  that  it  is  the  identical  spot 
where  Tertullian  had  labored  but  a  few  years  before  so  strenu- 
ously to  have  baptism  delayed  in  the  case  of  infants  and  un- 
married persons.  But,  it  seems,  Tertullian  was  not  very 
successful,  as  in  this  council,  a  few  years  after,  there  icas  not 
one  of  his  opinion  —  not  one  to  advocate  delay." 

"And  this,"  said  Anna,  "  I  understand  to  have  been  a  synod 
of  divines — a  council  of  all  the  most  learned  men  in  the  Chris- 
tian church  at  that  time.  With  me  it  has  far  more  weight,  that 
the  decision  was  given  in  &  public  assemblage,  than  if  it  were  only 
the  private  opinion  of  the  same  men.  And  then  it  was  so  near 
the  time  of  the  Apostles;  and  the  unanimous  opinion  of  sixty- 
six  divines  also :  all  this  shows  most  conclusively  to  my  mind 
that  infant  baptism  was  not  only  the  opinion  and  usage  of  the 
whole  Christian  church,  but  had  ever  been  from  the  time  of  the 
Apostles." 

"  Optatus,  Bishop  of  Milcvi,"  continued  Hallcy,  "  who  was 
born  about  two  hundred  years  after  the  Apostles,  is  the  next 
witness  we  will  examine.     He  wrote  about  two  hundred  and 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       327 

sixty  years  after  John  the  Evangelist,  and  had  been  comparing 
a  Christian's  putting  on  Christ  in  baptism,  to  putting  on  a  gar- 
ment. He  then  says :  '  But  lest  any  one  say,  I  speak  irreve- 
rently in  calling  Christ  a  garment,  let  him  read  what  the 
Apostle  says,  as  many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  in  the  name 
of  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ.  Oh !  what  a  garment  is  this, 
which  is  always  one,  and  which  fits  all  ages  and  all  shapes.  It 
is  neither  too  large  for  INFANTS,  nor  too  small  for  young  men, 
nor  does  it  need  any  alteration  for  women.' 

"  Here  too  is  the  Oration  20  of  Gregory  Nazianzen,  who  was 
contemporary  with  Optatus — about  two  hundred  and  sixty  years 
after  the  Apostles.  He  compares  Basil,  one  of  the  church 
fathers,  to  Samuel,  as  follows :  '  Samuel,  among  them  which 
call  upon  his  name,  was  given  before  he  was  born,  and  imme- 
diately after  his  birth  was  consecrated,  and  he  became  an 
anointer  of  kings  and  of  priests  out  of  a  horn.  And  was  not 
this  man  (Basil)  consecrated  to  God  in  his  infancy,  and  carried 
to  the  steps  in  a  coat  ? '  He  probably  means  the  steps  of  the 
baptismal  font. 

"  Dr.  Wall  gives  an  abstract  of  Gregory's  oration  on  the 
ordinance  of  baptism  :  '  He  first  gives  his  opinion  in  favor  of 
delaying  the  baptism  of  children  till  they  are  three  years  old. 
And  still  he  so  expresses  himself  as  to  leave  no  doubt  that  the 
usual  practice  was  against  him.  But  on  reconsidering  the 
danger  to  which  infants  are  exposed,  and  all  the  circumstances 
of  the  case,  he  advises  that  infants  (of  a  few  days  old)  should 
be  baptized.' 

"  Thus  he  and  Tertullian  are  the  only  men  in  the  early 
churches  who  speak  of  delaying  baptism  at  all ;  and  the  recon- 
sideration of  the  matter  led  Gregory  to  recall  what  he  had  said 
on  delay,  and  to  give  it  as  his  opinion  that  they  should  be  early 
in  life  baptized  according  to  the  prevailing  custom  of  the 
church." 

"  We  cannot  call  him  a  Baptist,"  said  Anna,  "  for  an  infant 


328  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

three  days  old  is  just  as  capable  of  exercising  faith,  as  one  of 
three  years.  And  it  seems  that  Gregory  repudiated  his  own 
advice  to  delay  baptism  in  a  fuller  consideration  of  the  matter. 
Therefore  Tertullian  is  the  only  one  yet  found  who  really  ad- 
vocated delay  of  baptism  in  the  case  of  infants ;  and  yet  he  was 
no  Baptist,  for  he  equally  advocated  a  delay  of  baptism  to  un- 
married persons,  even  if  adults,  and  capable  of  exercising  faith. 
There,  in  reality,  has  been  no  Baptist  found  yet,  and  we  have 
canvassed  nearly  three  centuries  from  the  Apostles." 

"  And  it  is  also  worthy  of  note,"  said  Halley,  "  that  during 
this  whole  period,  with  scarce  an  interval,  the  Christian  church 
had  constantly  endured  civil  persecutions  of  the  most  direful 
and  bloody  character;  and  that  in  her  progress  she  had  passed 
through  blood  and  fires,  storms  and  disasters.  The  professor 
of  the  Christian  religion  was  constantly  exposed  to  the  dungeon, 
the  rack,  and  the  faggot;  and  nearly  all,  or  quite,  of  those 
church  fathers  we  have  referred  to,  suffered  martyrdom  for  their 
faith.  But  we  have  the  testimony  of  a  few  more  to  add  to  that 
which  has  already  been  adduced.  Ambrose,  who  wrote  about 
two  hundred  and  seventy-four  years  after  the  Apostles,  in  com- 
menting on  the  first  chapter  of  Luke,  and  speaking  of  John, 
and  Elias,  and  of  his  parting  the  waters  of  the  river  Jordan, 
says:  'But  perhaps  this  may  seem  to  be  fulfilled  in  our  time, 
and  in  the  Apostles'  time.  For  that  return  of  waters  backward 
toward  the  head  of  the  river,  which  was  caused  by  Elias  when 
the  river  was  divided,  signified  the  mystery  of  the  laver  of  sal- 
vation, which  afterwards  was  to  be  instituted,  by  which  those 
who  are  baptized  in  infancy  are  reformed  from  a  wicked  state 
to  the  primitive  state  of  their  nature/  Here  Ambrose  testifies 
that  infants  were  not  only  baptized  then,  but  also  'in  the  Apos- 
tles' time j*  as  he  says,  it  was  fulfilled  then  as  now.  And  we 
think,  from  the  proximity  of  his  age  to  that  of  the  Apostles, 
and  the  other  advantages  he  possessed  of  knowing  how  long 
it  had  been  practised,  that  his  testimony  is  as  reliable  as  that, 


TIIE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  329 

at  least,  of  those  removed  more  than  fourteen  hundred  years 
from  him,  and  whose  proofs  are,  if  proofs  at  all,  traced  through 
him  and  his  contemporaries. 

"  John  Chrysostom,  who  dates  within  the  third  century  after 
the  Apostles,  and  who  was  one  of  the  most  able  and  eloquent 
preachers  that  had  as  yet  adorned  the  primitive  church ;  born 
at  Antioch,  bishop  of  Constantinople,  twice  banished  on  account 
of  his  zeal  in  reforming  and  keeping  pure  the  Christian  church, 
and  at  length  brought,  by  his  sufferings  in  the  bitter  persecu- 
tions he  encountered,  to  the  grave — thus  speaks,  in  his  writings 
which  I  have  here.  Homily  40,  on  Genesis,  speaking  of  cir- 
cumcision and  then  of  baptism,  which  God  has  appointed  in 
the  place  of  the  former,  '  But  our  circumcision,  that  is,  the  grace 
of  baptism,  gives  cure  without  pain.  And  it  has  no  determinate 
time,  as  circumcision  had;  but  it  is  proper  that  this  circumcision 
without  hands  should  be  received  by  one  in  the  beginning  of  life, 
or  in  the  middle  of  it,  or  in  old  age.  Again,  he  says  :  '  Some 
think  that  the  heavenly  grace  (of  baptism)  consists  only  in 
forgiveness  of  sins ;  but  I  have  reckoned  up  ten  advantages  of 
it.  For  this  cause  we  baptize  infants  also,  though  tkey.  are  not 
defied  by  sin'  —  meaning,  doubtless,  actual  sin. 

"  There  are  other  passages  in  the  works  of  John  Chrysostom, 
bearing  on  this  subject,  but  we  will  pass  them,  and  proceed  to 
call  a  still  more  noted  church  father  named  Augustine;  who 
was  born  254  years  after  the  Apostles,  and  one  of  the  most 
pious,  learned,  devoted,  and  remarkable  of  all  the  church 
fathers.  His  father  was  a  pagan  till  near  the  close  of  his  life ; 
his  mother  (Monia),  was  eminently  pious.  He  was  converted 
at  the  age  of  thirty-three  (A.  D.  387) ;  was  bishop  of  Hippo 
thirty-five  years  (395-430) ;  and  during  this  time  was  indefati- 
gable in  preaching,  writing,  combating  error  and  vice,  and  in- 
fusing life  and  spirituality  into  the  churches  and  clergy  far  and 
near  (see  Mosheim,  vol.  i.  page  253,  n.  35).  '  He  was/  says 
history,  '  one  of  the  most  sincere  and  ardent  Christians  of  his 
28  * 


330  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

time.'  Dr.  Wall  says  (vol.  i.  page  241)  :  '  St.  Augustine  'was  a 
man  of  note  in  the  church,  and  continued  writing  books  for 
forty  years  and  more.  There  never  was  any  one  man  whose 
pains  were  so  successful  in  healing  the  wounds  of  the  church 
caused  by  schisms  and  heresies.  His  moderate  and  popular 
way  of  arguing  had  a  great  effect.'  Again  (page  259) :  '  St. 
Augustine  speaks  here  of  infant  baptism,  and  we  see  a  full  evi- 
dence that  it  was  then  universally  practised,  and  had  been  so 
beyond  the  memory  of  any  man  or  of  any  record  :  that  they 
took  it  to  be  a  thing  that  had  not  been  "  enacted  by  any  coun- 
cil," but  had  "  ever  been  in  use"  from  the  beginning  of  Chris- 
tianity. And  they  had  then  but  300  years  to  look  back  to  the 
times  of  the  Apostles,  whereas  we  now  (about  1725),  have  1G00. 
And  the  writings  and  records  which  are  now  lost,  were  then  ex- 
tant, and  easily  known.' 

"  In  view  of  all  this,  we  shall  see  that  his  testimony  in  rela- 
tion to  the  history  of  the  ordinance  of  infant  baptism,  taken  in 
connection  with  that  of  his  renowned  contemporary,  Pelagius, 
'the  learned  heretic,'  is  strong  and  explicit;  not  only  that  in- 
fants were  then  baptized,  but  that  this  usage  was  universally, 
in  the  Christian  church,  practised  and  understood ;  and  also 
acknowledged  to  have  been  handed  down  from  the  very  times 
of  the  Apostles." 

"Was  not  there  a  controversy  between  these  two  men?" 
asked  Elder  Mason.  "  "What  was  the  ground  of  their  con- 
troversy ?  " 

"  Pelagius,"  replied  Halley,  "  denied  the  depravity  of  the 
human  heart,  and  the  necessity  of  divine  grace,  and  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Spirit  in  man's  regeneration.  He  also  maintained 
that  the  human  will  is  as  much  inclined  to  good  as  to  evil,  and 
that  good  works  constitute  the  meritorious  cause  of  salvation. 
History  records  (see  Mosheim,  vol.  i.  page  370),  that  Pelagius, 
and  his  colleague  and  companion,  Celestius,  were  in  high  repu- 
tation for  their  virtues  and  piety;  and  that  the  success  of  Pela- 


THE     INQUIRER    AFTER     TRUTH.  331 

gins  was  great,  but  that  he  found  a  powerful  opponent  in  the 
person  of  the  famous  Augustine,  bishop  of  Hippo,  who  exposed 
the  unscriptural  character  of  the  system,  and  its  direct  ten- 
dency to  subvert  the  grand  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  and  to  render 
the  cross  of  Christ  of  none  effect.  In  one  of  his  arguments 
against  Pelagius,  and  in  proving  the  doctrine  of  original  sin, 
he  asks :  '  Why  are  infants  baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins 
if  they  have  no  sin  V  Intimating  thereby  to  Pelagius,  that  the 
denial  of  original  sin  must  draw  after  it  the  denial  of  infant 
baptism.  Now  mark  the  reply  of  Pelagius,  which,  under  the 
circumstances,  was  striking  and  unequivocal.  Says  Pelagius : 
'  Baptism  ought  to  be  administered  to  infants,  with  the  same  sa- 
cramental words  which  are  used  in  the  case  of  adult  persons. 
Men  slander  me,  as  if  I  denied  the  sacrament  of  baptism  to  in- 
fants. I  never  HEARD  OF  any,  not  even  the  most  impious  here- 
tic, u-ho  denied  baptism  to  infants'  Again,  Augustine  remarks 
in  reference  to  the  Pelagians :  '  Since  they  grant  that  infants 
must  be  baptized,  as  not  being  able  to  resist  the  authority  of  the 

WHOLE  CHURCH,  W HICH  WAS  DOUBTLESS  DELIVERED  BY  OUR 

Lord  and  his  Apostles,  they  must  consequently  grant  that 
they  stand  in  need  of  the  benefit  of  the  Mediator.' 

"  With  this  argument,  the  Pelagians  were  much  pressed.  It 
would  have  been  very  much  to  their  purpose,  if  it  had  been  in 
their  power,  to  assert  that  Augustine  was  wrong  in  his  position 
and  statement ;  and  that  the  baptism  of  infants  was  not  en- 
joined by  Christ  and  his  Apostles.  Or  if  they  had  known  of 
any  sect  or  society  of  Christians  existing  in  their  day,  or  before 
their  time  since  the  Apostles,  who  disowned  infant  baptism,  or 
had  raised  objections  to  it,  their  own  interests  would  have  led 
them  to  plead  such  an  example  in  behalf  of  their  position 
and  their  argument.  But  they  were  so  far  from  being  able  to 
do  this,  that  they  were  obliged  to  concede  that  they  never  saw 
nor  heard  of  any  one,  either  Christian  or  heretic — no,  nor  any 
writer  who  pretended  to  believe  in  the  Scriptures,  who  denied 


332  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

baptism  to  infants.  Celestius,  who  assisted  Pelagius  in  the 
propagation  of  his  peculiar  doctrines,  said  :  '  Infants  are  to  be 
baptized  according  to  the  rule  of  the  universal  church.' 

"  Could  there  have  been  any  sect  denying  infant  baptism," 
asked  Anna,  "and  they  not  have  known  of  its  existence?" 

"  Pelagius  was  born  in  Britain  (probably  a  Welshman),  and 
Celestius  in  Ireland,"  replied  Halley.  "  They  both  lived  a  long 
time  in  Rome,  to  which  all  the  people  of  the  then  known  world 
had  resort.  They  were  both  some  time  in  Sicily ;  and  then  in 
Carthage  a  considerable  period.  Then  Pelagius  traveled 
through  Egypt,  and  settled  in  Jerusalem  for  many  years. 
Celestius  went  from  Carthage  to  Ephesus  and  Constantinople, 
and  in  fact  visited  all  the  noted  churches  in  both  Europe  and 
Asia.  In  view  of  this,  we  should  consider  it  impossible  that 
there  should  have  been  a  sect,  or  even  a  church,  that  denied 
the  practice  of  infant  baptism  in  all  Christendom,  and  they  not 
have  heard  of  it.  The  conclusion  is  irresistible,  that  there  was 
not  at  that  time,  nor  within  the  memory  of  the  men  of  that 
time,  any  Christian  society  which  denied  baptism  to  infants." 

"  What !  not  one  Baptist  church  in  all  Europe,  Asia,  and 
Africa  ?  "  exclaimed  Elder  Clayton.  "  And  this  was  only  three 
hundred  years  after  the  Apostles !  If  there  ever  had  been  any, 
what  had  become  of  them  ?  " 

"That  is  a  question,"  replied  Halley,  " that  I  have  never 
heard  answered  —  or  even  attempted  to  be  answered.  Here  in 
all  the  known  countries  where  Christianity  had  penetrated, 
there  was  not  a  church  where  infant  baptism  was  not  practised 
at  that  time,  or  where  it  had  not  been  practised  within  the  re- 
collection of  the  oldest  men  then  living,  or  where  they  had  ever 
heard  of  its  being  rejected  !  And  the  most  talented  and  learned 
men  of  those  times  declare  it  to  have  been  an  apostolic  institu- 
tion— 'delivered  by  our  Lord,' — and  that  it  had  ever  been  prac- 
tised. And  those  whose  interest  it  was  to  make  contrary  state- 
ments, if  possible,  assure  us  that  they  never  heard  of  any  one, 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       o33 

oven  the  most  impious  heretic,  who  denied  baptism  to  infants. 
This,  then,  is  conclusive  testimony ;  and  he,  who  demands  more 
than  this,  is  not  reasonable. 

"But  turn,  if  you  please,  Squire  Tanner,  to  your  text-book, 
vol.  ii.  p.  407,  and  you  will  find  it  there  stated :  'If  we  now  go 
back  to  the  year  800,  we  will  find  all  the  churches  to  be  Bap- 
tist churches  in  regard  to  baptism,  except  a  few  in  Africa.'  Is 
this  possible,  and  yet  not  a  trace  of  any  such  existence  to  have 
been  found,  or  even  known,  a  few  years  later?  How  did  Bro- 
ther Graves  know  that  they  were  all  Baptist  churches  ?  Has 
he  intuitions  on  the  subject?  If  they  were  all  Baptist  churches, 
in  spite  of  all  history  and  every  assurance  to  the  contrary,  we 
have  only  to  say  that  they  were  very  unlike  their  brethren  of  a 
later  day !  And  with  such  Baptists  we  have  very  little  differ- 
ence of  opinion,  and  none  whatever  in  the  practice  of  infant 
baptism ! 

"But  let  us  quote  a  very  little  more  from  Augustine.  In 
remarking  on  the  passage,  1  Cor.  vii.  14,  he  says :  '  There  were 
Christian  infants  who  were  sanctified  (that  is,  baptized)  by  the 
authority  of  one  or  both  of  their  parents.'  Again,  in  speaking 
of  the  good  which  Christian  baptism  does  to  infants,  he  re- 
marks :  '  That  the  faith  of  those  by  whom  the  child  is  brought 
to  be  consecrated,  is  profitable  to  the  child.'  This  sounds  very 
much  like  the  Pedobaptist  doctrine  of  the  present  day.  If  you 
should  desire  to  see  more  evidence  on  this  subject  from  Augus- 
tine and  the  other  church  fathers,  as  I  have  not  time  to  bring 
it  up  here,  I  would  refer  you  to  these  works,  which  I  have 
been  quoting  from :  Dr.  Wall's  Hist,  of  Infant  Baptism,  vols. 
i.  and  ii. ;  Dr.  Woods  on  Infant  Baptism ;  Dr.  Kurtz's  Infant 
Baptism;  Dr.  Alexander's  Life,  chap.  ix.  etc.  etc.  There  are 
other  works  here  in  Latin,  and  some  in  Greek;  but  those  I 
have  mentioned  contain  translations  from  these  authors,  and  the 
translations  are  sufficiently  numerous  and  forcible  to  satisfy 
every  rational  and  candid  mind  that  infant  baptism  was  gene- 


334  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

rally  practised  from  the  apostolic  age  down  to  the  fall  of  the 
Western  Empire.  And  at  that  time  it  is  acknowledged  by  all 
to  have  been  in  general  use.  Yes,  there  is  one  unbroken  chain 
of  evidence  —  Augustine,  Chrysostom,  Ambrose,  Optatus,  Cy- 
prian and  his  sixty-six  bishops,  Origen  (Tertullian,  in  our  gene- 
rosity, though  no  Baptist,  wo  will  donate  to  them,  as  a  kind  of 
peace-offering),  Justin  Martyr,  and  Irenasus,  who  was  born  in 
the  first  century  whilst  the  Evangelist  John  was  living,  and 
therefore  knew  and  handed  down  apostolic  customs  and  usages. 
According  to  the  united  testimony  of  these  men  —  for  it  all 
harmonizes,  even  Tertullian's  is  as  strong  as  any  in  bearing 
evidence  to  the  fact  of  the  general  prevalence  of  infant  bap- 
tism— the  universal  Christian  church,  all  along  during  the  lives 
of  these  fathers  of  the  church,  down  through  three  centuries, 
till  we  have  abundant,  and  unquestioned  testimony,  practised 
infant  baptism;  and  these  evidences,  further,  assure  us  that 
at  the  close  of  the  third  century  after  the  Apostles,  there  was 
not  a  single  Baptist  church  in  the  whole  Christian  world  —  not 
one,  having  or  professing  the  faith  peculiar  to  our  Baptist  bre- 
thren, then  existing  in  all  Christendom;  nor  was  it  known  that 
there  ever  had  been  ! 

"Says  Dr.  Woods  :  'We  have  evidence  as  abundant,  and 
specific,  and  certain  as  history  affords  of  almost  any  other  fact, 
that  in/ant  baptism  universally  prevailed  from  the  days  of  the 
Apostles  through  four  centuries'  Says  Dr.  Schaff:  'Origen  of 
Alexandria,  the  most  learned  representative  of  the  Greek 
church,  who  was  himself  baptized  soon  after  his  birth  (85 
years  after  John,  A.  D.  185),  and  was  at  the  death  of  Tertul- 
lian (about  A.  D.  220)  some  thirty-five  years  of  age,  speaks  in 
the  most  unequivocal  terms  of  Infant  baptism  as  an  ajtostolic 
tradition,  and  the  universal  practice  if  tin  church.  And  those 
who  interpret  the  silence  of  ecclesiastical  writers  before  Ter- 
tullian respecting  infant  baptism  unfavorably  to  it,  do  not  con- 
sider, in  the  first  place,  that  we  have  very  few  written  memo- 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  335 

rials  of  any  kind  from  this  age,  and  are  left  wholly  in  the  dark 
on  many  other  points ;  and  in  the  second  place,  that  at  that 
time  the  great  missionary  zeal,  and  the  rapid  spread  of  the 
church,  made  the  baptism  of  proselytes  still  more  frequent, 
and,  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  most  thought  of.  Finally,  even 
in  Clement  of  Alexandria,  Irenseus,  and  Justin  Martyr,  tin  re 
is  no  lack  of  hints  which  indicate,  with  more  or  less  certainty, 
the  existence  of  infant  baptism.' 

"  Says  Dr.  Wall  (vol.  i.  chap.  21):  '  Irenjeus  (born  in  the 
time  of  the  Apostles),  Epiphanius,  Philostrus,  Augustine,  and 
Tbeodoret,  who  wrote  catalogues  of  all  the  sects  and  sorts  of 
Christians  that  they  knew,  or  had  ever  heard  of,  make  no  men- 
tion of  any  who  denied  infant  baptism,  except  those  who  denied 
all  baptism.  Each  of  them  mentions  some  sects  that  used  no 
baptism  at  all ;  and  these  sects  Augustine  represents  as  disown- 
ing the  Scripture,  or  a  great  part  of  it.  But  of  all  sects  that 
acknowledged  water  baptism  in  any  case,  NO  ONE  is  mentioned 
that  denied  IT  to  infants.'  Dr.  Wall  further  says  :  '  That 
tbe  first  body  of  men  we  read  of,  that  denied  baptism  to  in- 
fants, were  the  Petrobrusians,  A.  D.  1150/ 

"  Xow  turn  to  Theodosia  Ernest,  (vol.  i.  pp.  161  and  163), 
and  you  will  find  it  there  stated  :  '  That  Presbyterian  ministers 
have  been  trained  and  educated  in  error.  They  have  trusted 
to  the  assertions  of  others,  who  had  an  interest  in  deceiving 
them. — They  do  not  examine  the  historical  records  for  them- 
selves.— From  the  very  earliest  ages  of  Christianity,  up  to  the 
present  time,  there  has  been  a  body  of  professing  Christians 
who  have  always  held,  as  we  do  now,  that  baptism  is  not  valid 
unless  it  be  preceded  by  instruction  and  faith  in  Christ;  and, 
consequently,  that  the  baptism  of  infants  is  no  baptism  at 
all.'  And  here,"  continued  Halley,  drawing  a  small  pamphlet 
from  his  pocket,  "  is  a  tract  published  by  the  General  Baptist 
Tract  Society,  and  signed  Pengilly  —  who,  as  I  have  before  re- 
marked, or  at  least  intimated,  is  a  very  near  relative,  logically. 


336  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

of  Mr.  Graves.  This  tract  says :  '  Our  principles  are  as  old 
as  Christianity.  Persons  holding  our  distinctive  principles ; 
that  is,  the  baptism  of  believers  only,  have  appeared  in  all  ages 
of  the  Christian  era.  From  Christ  to  nearly  the  end  of  the 
second  century,  there  icerc  no  others ;  at  least  if  there  were, 
their  history  is  a  blank.  After  Christianity  was  introduced, 
many  opposed  it,'  etc. 

"  Now  what  authority  is  given  for  this  sweeping  assertion  ? 
Not  a  scrap  of  evidence,  either  sacred  or  profane ;  and  for  the 
best  of  all  reasons  —  there  is  no  such  evidence  in  the  world. 
Most  earnestly  has  it  been  sought  for ;  and  such  has  been  the 
zeal,  that  quotations  have  been  made  from  spurious  works; 
others  altered  by  those  who  cited  them ;  some  tortured  so  as  to 
convey  a  very  different  meaning  from  that  of  the  authors  ;  and 
others  even  forged  expressly  for  the  occasion.  (See  Dr.  Wall, 
vol.  ii.  chap,  i.)  But  all  these,  Argus-eyed  Christianity  has 
exposed ;  and  everything  not  bearing  the  test  and  stamp  of 
genuineness,  has  been  rejected  by  every  candid  writer,  whose 
sectarian  zeal  did  not  run  away  with  his  honesty — who  was  not 
more  anxious  to  advance  the  cause  of  his  party  than  the  cause 
of  his  Master. 

"  Brothers  Graves  and  Pengilly  are  too  much  influenced  by 
sectarian  zeal  in  this  respect.  We  have  already  noticed  their 
misrepresentations ;  and  I  will  only  give  two  examples  here  of 
their  citing  nnrcliable  authorities.  See  Tiieodosia,  vol.  i.  pp. 
323  and  325  (see  also  '  Scripture  Guide  to  Baptism'):  '  Ludo- 
vicus  Vivos,  a  name  of  high  historical  authority,  says,  None  of 
old  was  wont  to  be  baptized  but  in  grown  age,  and  who  desired 
it,  and  understood  what  it  was.' — '  The  learned  Curcelleus  is 
one  of  them,  and  he  says :  Infant  baptism  was  not  known  in 
the  world  the  first  two  centuries  after  Christ.' 

"  Dr.  Wall,  who  wrote  about  1600,  and  whose  statements  are 
considered  perfectly  reliable,  even  by  Mr.  (Ira res  (see  Tiieo- 
DO§ia,  vol.  i.  p.  17G),  says  of  these  men  (vol.  ii.  p.  10)  :  ' Since 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTU.  337 

this  Vives  lived  so  little  while  ago  (1492-1541,  a  Spaniard), 
and  produces  no  proof  out  of  any  author  to  confirm  his  opinion, 
his  affirming  anything  concerning  any  old  customs  is  of  no  more 
authority  than  if  any  one  now  living  should  say  the  same, 
without  producing  his  proof.  Especially  since  he  was  but  a 
young  man  when  he  wrote  these  commentaries,  and,  though 
learned  in  philosophy  and  secular  history,  yet  confesses  him- 
self in  his  preface  to  them,  that  as  for  divinity,  which  was  none 
of  his  profession,  he  minded  it  only  so  far  as  his  other  studies 
would  give  him  leave.  Curcelleus  says  the  same  thing  as  Vives 
does.  And  there  is  to  be  said  of  him  not  only  what  was  said 
of  Vives,  that  affirming  a  thing  of  antiquity,  he  produces  no 
quotation  for  proof,  but  also  that  he  brings  it  in  to  maintain, 
another  tenet  as  paradoxical  as  this  (the  denial  of  infant  bap- 
tism in  the  early  Christian  church)  itself  is.'  Like  Pelagius, 
he  denied  original  sin ;  but  not  like  Pelagius  he  makes  this 
statement  as  an  argument  in  its  favor.  Pelagius  would  have 
done  it  if  he  could  consistently  with  truth ;  but  he  did  not 
affirm  it,  from  the  fact  that  he  knew  it  to  be  false,  and  that  the 
Christian  world  would  have,  at  the  time,  denounced  it  as  such. 
"  But  to  return  :  among  all  the  investigations,  thorough  and 
critical,  of  the  ancient  records  and  of  the  writings  of  the  early 
church  fathers,  piles  of  proof  on  proof  have  been  found  in  sup- 
port of  infant  baptism,  and  for  its  divine  authority  and  exist- 
ence through  the  first  four  centuries  of  the  Christian  era ;  but 
not  a  lisj)  has  been,  or  can  be,  found  militating  against  its 
existence,  general  practice,  and  divine  authority.  Baptists 
persist  in  asserting  that  it  was  not  introduced  till  after  the 
second  century;  but  they  do  not  pretend,  nor  have  they 
attempted,  to  tell  us  hotv  it  was  then  introduced.  They  say  that 
when  it  was  introduced  it  was  opposed.  Who  opposed  it? 
What  church — what  council  of  divines  ?  Who,  among  all  the 
early  Christians,  declares  it  to  have  been  not  of  divine  authority, 
and  not  in  general  use  ?  The  fathers  tell  us  that  they  never 
29  w 


oo8  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

heard  of  such  a  man,  but,  on  the  contrary,  assure  us  that  it  v:as 
of  divine  authority,  and  that  it  was  a  custom  and  ordinance  of 
the  universal  church.  All  history  is  silent,  when  asked  -who 
opposed  it  ?     Echo  only  answers  —  who  ? 

"  Mr.  Graves  states  (vol.  ii.  p.  469)  :  '  Their  churches  were 
scattered  all  over  the  Roman  empire  when  Constantine  came 
to  the  throne  (A.  D.  306,  about  200  years  after  the  Apostles). 
Constantine  sought  to  unite  them  with  the  Catholics,  but  they 
obstinately  refused  to  pollute  their  communion  even  at  the 
command  of  the  emperor,  who  then  professed  to  be  their  friend.' 
He  is  talking  about  Baptists  or  those  holding  to  their  distinctive 
principles.  Were  there  any  in  existence  in  the  time  of  Con- 
stantine ?  Would  not  Pelagius,  Celestius,  or  Augustine,  have 
heard  of  them,  if  they  were  all  over  the  Roman  empire  at  that 
period  ?  " 

"  I  think,"  replied  Anna,  "  that  he  claims  some  sects  called 
(see  vol.  ii.  pp.  466—409,  and  also  diagram  on  p.  476)  Cathari 
or  Novatians,  and  Donatists.  They  were,  I  believe,  nearly  con- 
temporary with  the  Emperor  Constantine." 

"Why  were  they  called  by  these  names?"  asked  Halley. 
"  Elder  Mason,  can  you  tell  me  why  they  were  thus  named,  and 
in  what  respect  they  differed  from  other  sects  ?  " 

"  Really  I  do'nt  know,"  replied  Elder  Mason  ;  "  I  suppose  I 
have  seen  it  some  time,  but  I  never  trouble  myself  much  about 
such  matters." 

"  The  Novatians  or  Cathari  were  the  followers  of  one  Novatus, 
a  presbyter  of  Carthage,  who  had  disagreed  with  Cyprian,  his 
bishop  (about  A.  D.  250),  and  is  said  to  have  been  <  not  only 
arrogant,  factious,  vain,  and  rash,  but  chargeable  also  with  many 
offences  and  crimes.'  (See  Mosheim,  vol.  i.  p.  203,  and  n.  19)  : 
'  Their  peculiarity  was  (that  is,  of  the  sect)  that  they  would  not 
receive  into  the  church  persons  who,  after  being  baptized,  fell 
into  greater  sins.'  Pedobaptists  of  our  times  would  not  differ 
very  much  from  this.  There  is  no  evidence  at  all  anywhere 
that  they  denied  infant  baptism." 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  339 

"  And  how  was  it  with  the  Donatists,  a  little  after  this  period, 
and  in  the  age  of  Augustus?"  asked  Anna. 

"  There  is  no  evidence  that  the  schism  which  led  to  the 
formation  of  this  sect,"  answered  Halley,  "  was  in  consequence 
of  any  dissension  on  doctrinal  points.  But,  according  to  Mo- 
sheim,  the  immediate  cause  was  in  the  election  of  Cecilian,  the 
archdeacon,  by  a  majority  of  the  people  and  the  clergy,  to  fill 
the  chair  vacated  by  the  death  of  Mensurius,  bishop  of  Carthage, 
A.  D.  311.  He  was  consecrated  immediately,  without  waiting 
for  the  bishops  of  Numidia,  by  the  bishops  of  the  archdiocese 
of  Carthage.  The  Numidian  bishops  were  highly  offended,  and 
by  the  aid  of  the  disaffected  in  Carthage  deposed  the  newly- 
ordained  bishop,  and  in  his  stead  consecrated  Majorinus  as 
bishop  of  Carthage.  The  most  violent  and  active  among  the 
Numidian  bishops  was  Donatus,  and  therefore  the  whole  party 
opposed  to  Cecilian  were  called  Donatists.  The  quarrel  spread 
far  and  wide,  so  that  nearly  every  church  in  Africa' was  divided, 
and  almost  every  city  had  two  bishops.  The  matter  was  brought 
before  Constantine  in  313,  and  he  referred  it  to  the  bishop  of 
Rome,  assisted  by  three  bishops  from  Gaul.  Cecilian  was  ac- 
quitted by  this  court.  The  Numidians  were  dissatisfied  with 
his  acquittal,  and  to  quiet  their  murmurs  the  Emperor  Con- 
stantine appointed  a  much  larger  tribunal  (314)  which  also 
decided  against  the  Donatists.  They  then  appealed  to  the 
Emperor  himself,  who,  on  examination  of  the  matter  (316), 
decided  against  them ;  and  on  account  of  their  contumely,  re- 
proaches, and  complaints,  he  ordered  their  temples  to  be  taken 
from  them  in  Africa,  and  the  seditious  bishops  to  be  banished." 

"But  what  has  this  to  do  with  infant  baptism?"  asked 
Elder  Clayton. 

"  I  confess  I  do  not  know,"  replied  Halley.  "  They  were 
acknowledged  to  be  of  the  same  doctrinal  faith.  Says  the 
historian  Gibbon,  whom  none  can  accuse  of  sectarian  bias,  and 
whose  authority  as  an  historian  is  unquestioned  in  regard  to 


340  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

facts,  vol.  i.  cli.  21 :  (  Excluded  from  the  civil  and  religious 
communion  of  mankind,  they  boldly  excommunicated  the  rest 
of  mankind  who  had  embraced  the  impious  party  of  Cecilian 
and  of  the  Traditors.  Bishops,  virgins,  and  even  sj>otless  in- 
fants, were  subjected  to  the  disgrace  of  a  public  penance  before 
they  could  be  admitted  to  the  communion  of  the  Donatists. 
But  notwithstanding  this  irreconcilable  aversion,  the  two  parties, 
who  were  mixed  and  separated  in  all  the  cities  of  Africa,  had 
the  same  language  and  manners,  the  same  zeal  and  learning, 
THE    SAME   FAITH   AND   WORSHIP.'      Mosheim,   vol.   i.    p.    286, 

says :  '  That  the  Donatists  were  sound  in  doctrine,  even  their 
adversaries  admit.'  It  is  a  well-authenticated  and  established 
fact  in  history,  that  not  only  the  Novatians  and  Donatists,  but 
also  the  Arians,  practised  infant  baptism.  Augustine  was  the 
great  opponent  of  the  Donatists  and  the  Arians  a  few  years 
later,  and  he  declared  that  none  of  all  the  Christians  had  any 
other  opinion  than  that  infant  baptisms  was  useful  and  neces- 
sary. Now  these  very  Donatists,  whom  all  history  declares  to 
have  had  the  same  faith  and  worship,  to  have  had  the  same 
church  ordinances  and  usages  which  the  other  greater  branch 
of  the  church  had  —  whom  all  history  assures  us  to  have  j)rac- 
tised  infant  baptism,  as  the  church  had  ever  done  —  these  Mr. 
Graves  declares  to  have  been  Anabaptists — to  have  withdrawn 
from  the  so-called  Catholic  church,  because  disgusted  with  its 
corruptions  and  innovations  —  that  ilieij  refused  to  baptize  their 
children — that  therefore  they  were  persecuted  and  put  to  death, 
and  that  Augustine  was  one  of  the  persecutors  !  (See  Theo- 
dosia,  vol.  i.  pp.  338-9).  What  a  dearth  of  truth  there  is  in 
these  statements  we  may  readily  see  from  what  has  already  been 
said.  That  they  baptized  all  who  came  to  them  —  even  those 
coming  from  the  other  branch  of  the  church,  is  unquestionable 
also.  But  why  did  they  re-baptize  them  ?  It  was  not  because 
they  had  not  been  immersed.  It  was  not  because  they  were 
baptized  in  infancy.     It  was  not  because  they  were  sprinkled. 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       341 

It  was  on  no  ground  kindred  to  that  of  the  Baptist  faith  and 
practice.  And  as  Gibbon  was  neither  Baptist  nor  Pedobaptist, 
I  will  quote  from  him,  vol.  i.  chap.  21,  that  you  may  know  the 
reason :  '  They  (the  Donatists)  asserted  with  confidence,  and 
almost  with  exultation,  that  the  apostolical  succession  was 
interrupted;  that  all  the  bishops  of  Europe  and  Asia  were 
infected  by  the  contagion  of  guilt  and  schism ;  and  that  the 
prerogatives  of  the  Catholic  church,  iccrc  confined  to  the  chosen 
portion  of  the  African  believers,  who  alone  had  preserved  in- 
violate the  integrity  of  their  faith  and  discipline.  This  rigid 
theory  was  supported  by  the  most  uncharitable  conduct.  When- 
ever they  acquired  a  proselyte,  even  from  the  distant  provinces 
of  the  East,  they  carefully  repeated  the  sacred  rites  of  baptism 
and  ordination;  as  they  rejected  the  validity  of  those  which  he 
had  already  received  from  the  hands  of  heretics  or  schismatics. 
If  they  obtained  possession  of  a  church  which  had  been  used 
by  their  Catholic  adversaries,  they  purified  the  unhallowed 
building  with  the  same  jealous  care  which  a  temple  of  idols 
might  have  required.  They  washed  the  pavement,  scraped  the 
walls,  burnt  the  altar,  which  was  commonly  of  wood,  melted 
the  consecrated  plate,  and  cast  the  Holy  Eucharist  to  the  dogs, 
with  every  circumstance  of  ignominy  which  could  provoke  and 
perpetuate  the  animosity  of  religious  factions.  Notwithstanding 
this  irreconcilable  aversion,  the  two  parties,  who  were  mixed 
and  separated  in  all  the  cities  of  Africa,  had  the  same  language 
and  manners,  the  same  zeal  and  learning,  the  same  faith  and 
worship.'  Says  Dr.  Wall  (vol.  ii.  p.  132)  :  'The  challenge  of 
Saint  Augustine,  and  the  confession  of  Pelagius,  that  they  never 
J.- in  w  nor  heard  of  any  heretics  or  schismatics  that  were  against 
the  baptizing  of  infants,  must  be  an  undeniable  proof  that 
neither  of  these  two  sects  (Novatians  and  Donatists)  were  so; 
since  a  considerable  body  of  each  of  them  were  remaining  in 
those  parts  where  these  two  men  lived ;  and  all  their  particular 
opinions  were  the  subject  of  every  day's  disputation.'  Mosheim 
29* 


342  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

and  Hase,  in  their  Church  Histories,  fully  corroborate  what 
has  already  been  said. 

"  Where  then  does  Mr.  Graves  get  his  authority  for  the  state- 
ments he  has  made  with  regard  to  the  Donatists  ?  Where  ?  I 
ask,  unless  it  be  from  a  vivid  imagination,  —  on  which,  as  we 
have  seen,  —  he  has  made  demands  before  ! 

"  We  have  now  brought  the  examination  down  to  the  year 
A.  D.  430  —  more  than  300  years  after  the  death  of  the  Apos- 
tles—  and  we  have  found  infant  baptism  to  be  clearly  the  un- 
disputed practice  of  the  whole  church.  And  we  might  add 
nearly  in  the  words  of  Augustine :  Will  any  one  still  ask  for 
authority  ?  '  Will  any  one  ask  for  divine  authority  in  this 
matter?'  In  'that  which  the  whole  church  practises:  'which 
icas  NOT  instituted  by  councils,  but  was  ever  in  iise?  It  is  very 
reasonably  believed  to  be  no  other  than  a  thing  delivered  by 
the  authority  of  the  Apostles.  We  may,  besides,  make  a  true 
estimate  how  much  the  sacrament  of  baptism  does  avail  infants 
by. the  circumcision  which  God's  ancient  people  received." 

"  We  have  also  found  that  the  Donatists  who  were  contem- 
porary with  Augustine  and  Pelagius,  were  no  Baptists,  but 
practised  infant  baptism.  Yet  I  confess,"  continued  Halley, 
after  a  moment's  hesitation,  "  if  we  look  more  closely,  they  did 
have  some  distinctive  features,  which  are  now  peculiar  to  our 
Baptist  brethren ;  and  if  you  think  them  sufficiently  strong  to 
settle  the  relationship,  we  will  pass  this  sect  over  to  you." 

"  What  were  those  distinctive  features  ?"  asked  Elder  Mason, 
eagerly. 

"  They  have  been  incidentally  mentioned  in  the  various  quo- 
tations from  the  authorities  cited.  But  I  will  repeat  them. 
They  were,"  continued  Halley,  slowly,  with  a  calm  expressive 
gaze  at  Elder  Mason,  "  a  claim  that  they  alone  had  the  full 
right  to  be  considered  the  true  cmd  infaUxble  church;  and  to 
Buch  intolerable  malignity  did  they  carry  their  resentment  in 
their  church  relations,  that  they  avoided  all  communication 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  843 

with  the  Christian  mother  church;  they  not  only  shut  out  all 
intercourse,  but  pronounced  the  sacred  rites  and  institutions  of 
their  mother  church  as  void  of  all  virtue,  and  some  of  them  as 
impious  and  sacrilegious ;  in  their  bitterness  and  party  zeal, 
they  even  carried  their  resentment  and  exclusiveness  so  far  as 
to  re-baptize  those  who  joined  them  from  other  churches,  and 
also  to  rc-ordain  those  who  already  sustained  the  ministerial 
office.     I  have  been  able  to  trace  no  other  resemblances." 

A  perceptible  flush  sprung  up  on  the  faces  of  many  in  the  room, 
but  it  was  more  marked  in  the  case  of  Elder  3Iason  and  Squire 
Tanner;  and  it  seemed  to  deepen  somewhat  in  the  few  moments 
of  silence  which  followed.  "  I  would  like  to  call  your  attention 
now,"  continued  Halley,  turning  over  some  old  volumes  which 
lay  before  him,  "  to  the  harmony  of  this  testimony  of  the  church 
fathers  in  regard  to  the  practice  of  infant  baptbm  in  the  early 
period  of  the  church,  and  that  which  is  found  in  the  Catacombs 
of  Rome.  Here  is  a  work  by  the  Right  Rev.  Win.  J.  Kip, 
D.  D.,  wherein  we  find  epitaphs  and  inscriptions  similar  to  those 
we  have  already  cited.  Recollect  that  these  Catacombs  were 
inhabited  by  the  early  Christians  during  the  persecutions  of  the 
church,  before  the  time  of  Constantine  (about  two  hundred 
years  after  the  Apostles),  and  who  was  the  first  Christian  em- 
peror, and  under  whose  reign  Christians,/or  the  first  time,  were 
protected  by  civil  authority.  Turn  to  the  first  volume  of  your 
test-book,  Squire  Tanner,  p.  308,  and  you  will  find  it  there 
stated  that  during  this  period  '  The  church  remained  what 
Christ  intended  it  should  be.  It  was  a  body  of  professed  be- 
lievers. But  when  infants  instead  of  converts  began  to  be  in- 
troduced, its  whole  character  was  changed.  Its  spirituality  was 
gone.  Xo  Pagan,  not  even  the  tiger-hearted  Xero  himself,  was 
so  cruel  in  his  persecutions  of  the  Christians,  as  this  body  of 
baptized  infants  became,  when  it  grew  up  to  manhood  and  was 
invested  with  the  power  to  kill.' 

"  But  in  these  caves  of  the  earth,  to  which  these  persecuted 


344  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

Christians  fled  for  safety,  there  are  found  enduring  monuments 
of  the  faith  and  practice  of  these  simple-hearted  and  persecuted 
men  and  'women,  who  lived  '  when  the  church  was  what  Christ 
intended  it  to  be;'  and  strange  to  relate,  we  are  assured  that 
even  then  it  was  composed  in  part  of  these  very  'impiously 
baptized  infants.'  Not  only  are  we  assured  of  this  by  the  dis- 
tinguished bishops  of  the  church  who  led  their  feeble,  aggrieved, 
and  oppressed  flocks  into  these  fortresses  of  the  earth,  and  who 
themselves  sealed  their  faith  with  their  blood ;  but  also  the 
flocks  themselves  have  left  an  imperishable  record  graven  upon 
the  eternal  rocks,  and  which  speak  none  the  less  forcibly  and 
fatally  to  the  Baptist  cause.  God,  who  can  foresee  all  possible 
events,  ever  guards  his  truth,  and  fortifies  it,  so  as  to  render  it 
invincible.  Here,  through  the  lapse  of  ages,  he  has  preserved 
to  the  world,  relics  and  inscriptions  made  by  Christians  in  that 
bloody  time,  when  they  were  forced  to  go  down  into  the  earth 
to  prolong  life  and  to  worship  God.  Let  us  now  look  again  be- 
neath the  lifted  veil,  and  be  wiser. 

"  We  here  meet  with  numerous  epitaphs  of  children  who  are 
called  '  Neophytes,'  and  '  Faithfuls,'  titles  which,  of  course, 
could  not  have  been  given  them  unless  they  had  been  received 
by  baptism  into  the  church.  The  age  at  which  they  died  pre- 
cludes the  idea  that  it  was  administered  to  them  in  any  way  but 
as  infants.  These  epitaphs  were  carved,  recollect,  less  than  two 
hundred  years  after  the  Apostles.  They  arc  the  rude  monu- 
ments of  those  simple-hearted  Christians  in  the  primitive  age 
of  the  church,  ere  she  was  corrupted  by  power.  The  ages  of 
the  children,  who  had  been  baptized,  and  made  members  of  the 
church,  and  on  whom  was  bestowed  the  title  of  Neophyte,  or 
Faxthfulf  when  fliey  died,  was  from  less  than  two  years  up  to 
adult  age;  as  may  be  seen  by  referring  to  (hose  already  noticed. 
Seven  out  of  the  eleven  inscriptions,  given  in  the  examinations 
of  yesterday,  state  that  the  child  (though  consecrated  by  bap- 
tism), was  under  four  years  of  age  when  it  died;  and  the  oldest 
of  the  number  was  only  eight  years  of  age. 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  345 

u  Let  us  now  for  a  few  moments  look  at  the  force  of  the  his- 
torical testimony  we  have  been  considering.  Our  Baptist 
brethren  affirm  that  infant  baptism  was  not  an  apostolic  insti- 
tution. We  ask,  then,  how  they  account  for  these  inscriptions 
of  the  primitive  Christians  ?  How  do  they  account  for,  and 
interpret  the  hints  and  references  to  infant  baptism  in  the 
writings  of  those  who  were  even  contemporary  with  the  Apos- 
tles ?  Tertullian  wrote  in  the  first  century  after  them,  and  he 
speaks  of  it  as  a  generally  existing  practice :  where,  then,  and 
how,  was  the  change  made  ?  Where  is  the  evidence  of  its  in- 
troduction ?  Point  us  to  a  trace — even  to  the  faintest  trace  of 
it.  What  declaration  is  there  in  any  history  or  record  of  the 
times  that  infant  baptism  began  to  be  practised  in  the  churches  ? 
What  suggestion  or  allusion  is  there,  either  in  history  or  tra- 
dition, making  it  appear  in  any  degree  probable  that  such  a 
change  ever  took  place  ?  For  you  to  affirm  that  such  a  change 
was  brought  about  without  being  able  to  point  to  a  scrap  of 
evidence  favoring  it,  and  still  persist  in  affirming  it  in  the  face 
of  every  degree  of  probability  against  you,  is,  to  say  the  least, 
an  arrogant  assumption  instead  of  an  argument.  Pray  tell  us, 
where  were  our  Baptist  brethren  when  such  a  horrible  heresy 
was  being  agitated  and  introduced  ?  Why  did  they  not,  to  a 
man,  raise  their  voices  and  plead  trumpet-tongued  for  its  de- 
struction ?  Were  they  all  asleep  when  the  church  was  teeming 
with  such  a  dreadful  error  ?  Was  there  not  one  faithful  enough 
to  cry  out  against  it,  and  to  utter  and  record  even  one  syllable 
against  its  introduction  ?  There  is  not  a  syllable  on  the  pages 
of  history,  sacred  or  profane,  against  its  first  appearance.  Ter- 
tullian advocates  delay,  but  admits  it  was  in  general  use  in  his 
day.  It  is  a  popular  tradition  among  our  Baptist  friends,  and 
one  they  con  over  and  over  most  fondly,  that  their  denomina- 
tion dates  back  to  the  time  when  John  the  Baptist  began  to 
1  immerse'  professed  believers  in  Jordan.  If  this  be  true,  what 
became  of  them  afterward  ?     John  and  his  disciples  baptized 


o46  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

thousands,  and  these  thousands  probably  baptized  hundreds  of 
thousands.  Where  were  all  these  myriads  when  infant  baptism 
was  introduced  ?  It  seems  to  me  that  these  people  whom  the 
Baptists  claim  as  denominational  ancestors,  were  very  unlike 
them  in  sectarian  zeal !  If  they  had  only  possessed  a  small 
fraction  of  the  vigilance  and  party  spirit  which  characterize 
their  brethren  in  these  times,  such  an  innovation  could  not  have 
gained  ground  without  exciting  and  arousing  the  whole  church, 
and  causing  such  opposition,  that  volumes  of  controversy  would 
have  been  the  result  of  the  conflict,  and  the  inheritance  of 
their  posterity.  If  there  were  Baptists  then,  why  did  they  not 
lift  up  their  hands,  in  pious  horror,  toward  heaven,  as  they  do 
now,  and  exclaim,  This  is  '  sacrilege '  ?  Why  did  they  not  set 
themselves  at  work  to  array  argument  against  it  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  clear  their  skirts  of  the  guilt  incurred  ?  What  means 
this  ominous  silence  ?  Alas  !  alas  !  our  Baptist  brethren  had 
either  ceased  to  be,  or  had  not  as  yet  begun  to  be  I 

"  Although  there  is  on  record  very  ancient  and  particular 
accounts  of  heresies,  and  of  controversies  on  a  great  variety  of 
subjects,  yet  history  is  as  silent  as  the  grave  about  the  heresy 
of  Pedobaptists  —  yes,  as  silent  as  the  grave  ! " 

"Did  not  Tertullian  lift  up  his  voice  of  warning  against  it?" 
asked  Elder  Mason. 

"  Not  against  its  introduction ;  not  against  it  as  an  innova- 
tion; not  against  it  as  non-apostolic;  not  against  it  as  not  being 
of  Divine  authority !  No  :  unfortunately,  the  only  one  in  the 
Christian  church  for  five  hundred  years  or  more,  who  ever  op- 
posed infiint  baptism  in  any  way,  believed  and  taught  that  in- 
fants ought  to  be  baptized,  if  in  danger  of  death;  —  and  what 
infants  are  not?  I  would  ask; — and  he  objected  as  much  to  the 
baptism  of  unmarried  believers,  as  to  that  of  infants,  and  that, 
too,  from  the  same  reason.  You  see,  then,  that  the  only  object- 
or you  can  point  to  during  all  this  period,  was  himself  sadly 
infected  with  the  heresy.    But  the  testimony  is  not  all  negative 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       347 

for  its  being  an  apostolic  custom  and  ordinance.  Far  from  it. 
"We  do  not  lack  for  witnesses  of  undoubted  ability  and  veracity 
to  prove  that  it  was  practised  in  the  apostolic  age,  and  also  that 
it  was  handed  down  from  them  by  their  express  order  and 
command.  Says  Augustine :  '  They  minded  the  Scriptures, 
and  the  authority  of  the  whole  church  :  infant  baptism  was  not 
ordained  by  councils,  but  was  ever  in  use.  The  custom  of  our 
mother  the  church  in  baptizing  infants  must  not  be  disregarded, 
nor  be  accounted  needless,  nor  believed  to  be  other  than  an  order 
of  the  Apostles' 

"  Origen,  who  suffered  for  his  faith,  the  son  of  a  martyr,  and 
the  grandson  and  great-grandson  of  professing  Christians,  and 
living  in  the  next  century  after  the  Apostles,  declares  :  '  The 
church  received  an  order  from  the  Ajjostles  to  give  baptism  <  vt  n 
to  infants'  And  for  eleven  hundred  years  after  the  ascension 
of  our  Lord  and  Savior,  history  does  not  record  a  single  Chris- 
tian sect  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  which  believed  in  or  prac- 
tised baptism  at  all,  which  rejected  infant  baptism,  or  even 
questioned  it  in  any  respect  whatever." 

"  For  eleven  hundred  years  I"  exclaimed  Anna,  with  sur- 
prise.    "What  was  the  name  of  that  sect?" 

"  They  were  a  small  fraction  of  the  Waldenses,"  replied 
Halley,  "led  off  in  the  twelfth  century  by  one  Peter  de  Bruys; 
and  they  rejected  infant  baptism  on  the  plea  that  infants  could 
not  be  saved  under  any  circumstances  whatever  (see  Dr.  Wall, 
vol.  ii.  chap.  7),  and  therefore  ought  not  to  be  baptized." 

"  Peter  de  Bruys  ?  "  queried  Anna.  "  "Were  they  not  called 
Petrobrusians  ?  " 

"  They  were,"  replied  Halley. 

"  Then  Graves  traces  through  them  the  Baptist  church  ?  " 
continued  Anna.  "  But  certainly  that  is  not  exactly  Baptist 
faith,  for  they  profess  to  believe  that  infants  are  saved." 

"No!"  replied  Halley,  "they  were  not  Baptists,  for  they 
taught  that  none  could  be  saved  but  those  who  were  able  to 


848  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

believe,  and  to  work  out  their  own  salvation  by  a  course  of  self- 
denial  and  labor;  and  as  infants  were  incapable  of  thus  believ- 
ing, and  working  out  their  own  salvation,  according  to  their 
creed  they  must  be  lost.  And  it  was  not  till  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury that  infant  baptism  was  opposed  on  any  such  grounds  as 
are  now  urged  by  our  Baptist  friends.  The  very  first  sect  of 
professing  Christians  on  record  in  the  history  of  the  whole 
Christian  world,  which  rejected  infant  baptism  and  believed  in 
infant  salvation,  were  the  Anabaptists,  starting  up  in  Germany 
about  the  year  1522." 

"  That  is  a  sweeping  assertion,  sir!"  said  Elder  Mason,  start- 
ing to  his  feet.  "  I'm  sure  it  is  easy  to  trace  a  line  of  Chris- 
tian sects  —  under  different  names,  it  is  true,  but  all  rejecting 
infant  baptism — up  through  the  lapse  of  ages,  even  to  the  time 
of  the  Apostles." 

"  You  say  it  is  easy  to  trace  back  your  ancestry  to  the  time 
of  the  Apostles,"  replied  Halley,  very  calmly  and  slowly;  "if 
so,  meet  me  here  to-morrow,  and  I  will  measure  histories  with 
you.  I  do  not  ask  or  expect  you  to  take  my  bare  assertions  for 
historical  evidences.  There  is  an  abundance  of  truth  on  the 
subject,  faithful  and  complete.  To-morrow,  then,  if  there  is  no 
objection,  we  will  trace  back  the  lineage  of  our  Baptist  friends, 
and  decide  for  ourselves  whether  they  are  legitimate  or  spurious 
in  their  claims  to  apostolic  heirship." 

A  look  of  excited  interest  passed  round  the  room.  "  I  wish 
to-morrow  were  here,"  said  Squire  Tanner.  "And  I  must  con- 
fess, if  this  hook  fails  me,  I  am  no  longer  a  Baptist." 

"  I  trust,  then,"  said  Anna,  while  tears  of  joy  for  the  mo- 
ment dimmed  her  eyes,  and  an  emotion  of  deep  gratitude  stirred 
the  depths  of  her  soul,  "I  trust,  Squire  Tanner,  that  to-mor- 
row, at  this  hour,  the  power  of  God's  invincible  Truth  will 
have  swept  away  human-drawn  lines  and  distinctions,  and  tbat 
you  will  be  ready  then  to  lift  up  your  eyes  to  God,  our  Hea- 
venly Father,  and  to  ask  in  penitence  and  sincerity,  'Who  is 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  349 

my  brother  ? '  Just  so  surely  as  you  do,  Squire  Tanner,  you 
"will  hear  the  still  small  voice  of  God's  Spirit  whispering  with- 
in you,  '  I  have  given  you  my  icitness,  even  the  Spirit  of  truth ; 
He  shall  testify  of  me.  Look  around  you.  Mark  those  who 
bring  forth  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  Those  are  by  the  Spirit 
sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption — that  seal  is  mine.  Behold 
your  brother !  One  is  your  Master,  even  God  your  Savior,  and 
all  ye  are  brethren;  and  remember  I  have  told  you,  By  this 
may  ye  know  that  ye  have  passed  from  death  unto  life,  that  ye 
love  one  another — that  ye  love  the  brethren.'  " 

Elder  Clayton's  eyes  were  fixed  on  Anna's  eloquent  and  im- 
passioned face,  and  her  words  stirred  with  strange  power  in  his 
soul,  half-forgotten  memories  of  the  past.  After  all  had  passed 
out  and  left  him  alone,  he  still  remained  motionless  in  his  seat; 
his  eyes  resting  apparently  on  the  door  which  closed  after  the 
last  retiring  form ;  and,  communing  with  his  own  spirit,  he  rea- 
soned wTith  himself.  He  pondered  over  the  words  of  his  Mas- 
ter— "  A  new  commandment  I  give  unto  you,  that  ye  love  one 
another  as  I  have  loved  you."  As  I  have  loved  you !  What 
a  measure  of  love  was  that !  Who  can  meet  the  requirements 
of  this  new  commandment  ?  And  then,  like  a  dark  shadow, 
there  hovered  over  his  mind  an  unwelcome  memory  of  hoio 
some  Christians  are  taught  to  love  one  another.  The  point  to 
which  his  memory  clung  with  so  much  tenacity  was  not  many 
months  in  the  past.  It  was  a  certain  time  when  Father  Long- 
wind  drew  him,  with  an  air  of  mystery,  into  his  study,  and 
there  taking  a  book  from  his  valise,  said :  "  Brother  Clayton, 
here  is  one  of  the  most  wonderful  productions  of  the  age ! 
It's  a  gem,  I  assure  you !  But  you  see  I  do'nt  think  it  expe- 
dient to  circulate  it  too  freely,  just  now,  as  we  have  found  that 
public  opinion  is  not  yet  ripe  for  it !  You  had  better  read  it, 
and  I  assure  you  that  you  will  find  your  faith  very  much 
strengthened."  Brother  Clayton  read  it.  Father  Longwind 
was  mistaken  in  the  result;  his  faith  was  not  strengthened,  but 
30 


350  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

shaken,  even  to  its  foundation.  Ever  since  then  he  had  heen 
trying  to  get  those  frightful  shadows  out  of  his  mind.  He  had 
not  yet  succeeded :  at  this  moment  they  hung  around  him  like 
so  many  haunting  spectres.  At  length,  as  he  sat  there,  his 
thoughts  assumed  the  form  of  an  argument;  and  he  discussed 
the  question  pro  and  con  as  hest  he  could. 

"  Are  there  not  brethren  out  of  the  Baptist  church  ?  Yet  I 
am  assured  by  that  work  that  all  Pedobaptists  are  but  '  harlots 
and  abominations/  and  hence  we  are  taught  that  it  is  our  duty 
'  to  refuse  to  receive  and  to  recognize  their  claims  as  Christian 
churches,  to  receive  their  ordinances,  or  recognize  their 
preachers  as  official  gospel  ministers,  by  inviting  them  into  our 
pulpits.'"  (See  "  Great  Iron  Wheel,  or  Methodism  shown  to 
be  Republicanism  Backwards,  and  Christianity  Reversed;"  by 
J.  R.  Graves,  Editor  of  Tennessee  Baptist,  p.  30). 

"  What  show  of  divine  favor  can  we  urge  that  God  does  not 
bestow  upon  other  evangelical  denominations  ?  "  still  urged  the 
better  nature  of  the  man.  "  Are  revivals  amongst  us  more  fre- 
quent and  extensive  ?  Do  we  exhibit  more  of  the  fruits  of  the 
Spirit ;  and  does  God  bless  our  labors  alone  to  the  salvation  of 
sinners  ?  " 

The  shadow  of  Mr.  Graves  answered  again :  "  The  world 
should  know  that  all  the  ten  or  twelve  so-called  evangelical 
yet  conflicting  denominations,  cannot  be  the  churches  of  Christ" 
(Great  Iron  Wheel,  p.  16). 

"  Cannot  be  ?"  mused  the  good  man.  "  But  was  there  ever 
a  more  devoted,  sincere,  and  spiritually-minded  Christian  than 
Father  Ben j amine,  ready  in  every  good  word  and  work?  Yet 
he  is  a  Methodist.  I  would  to-day  be  glad  to  exchange  my 
chances  for  heaven  with  him,  for  I  know  that  God  loves  this 
faithful  old  servant." 

"  He  is  the  follower  of  a  mere  human,  man-devised  system," 
said  the  shadow,  sternly.  "  A  rival  fold  whose  very  being  and 
advancement  is  hostile  to,  and  subversive  of  the  church  and 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  851 

kingdom  of  Christ.  *  *  *  What  an  awful  thought  for  an  aged 
man  about  to  die,  that  he  has  spent  his  long  life  and  exhausted 
all  his  mighty  powers  of  mind  and  body,  in  opposing  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  and  diverting  those  seeking  to  enter  it  into  a 
rival  organization  which,  becoming  universal,  would  blot  out  the 
doctrines,  constitution,  and  very  being  of  Christ's  church  from 
the  world  "     (Great  Iron  Wheel,  p.  13). 

"  It  is  false  ! "  said  Elder  Clayton  to  himself,  his  better  nature 
revolting  at  the  thought.  "  Father  Benj amine  has  not  labored 
in  '  a  rival  fold,'  but  in  his  Master's  vineyard.  His  prayers  and 
exhortations  have  arrested  many  in  the  course  of  sin,  and 
brought  them  out  from  the  kingdom  of  Satan  into  the  church 
of  Christ,  and  into  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord ;  for  they  are 
to-day  consistent,  believing,  and  active  Christians." 

'•A  Methodist,  a  workman  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord!" 
exclaimed  the  shadow.  "  Their  creed  is  a  mass  of  doctrinal 
corruption  and  putrefaction.  Call  you  such  sentiments  Pro- 
testantism ?  Call  you  such  teachings  evangelical  ?  Call  you 
such  doctrines  Christianity  ?  They  are  the  inversion  and  per- 
version of  Christianity  ! "  (Great  Iron  Wheel,  p.  426).  "  The 
Gospel  tells  us  that  the  Methodist  System  is  Antichrist,  for  it 
is  the  very  identical  priestly  power  which  has  crushed  and 
trodden  under  foot  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  doth  make  us 
free  in  every  age  of  the  world."  (p.  162).  "Methodism," 
continued  the  shadow,  growing  bolder  at  the  stupor  of  surprise 
with  which  his  assertions  were  received;  "Methodism  is  a 
human  scheme  of  man's  device  and  invention  —  a  man-made 
institution — as  much  so  as  that  of  Odd-Fellowship  or  Masonry 
—  an  imperfect  and  defective  organization.  How  can  a  Chris- 
tian man  dare  to  fellowship  it  as  a  Scriptural  body ;  much  less 
prefer  it  to  the  church  as  organized  by  our  blessed  Savior  ?  It 
is  a  rival  of  Christ's  fold,  and  those  who  enter  it  leave  Christ 
t'j  foUovf  men  —  become  the  followers  of  Wesley,  and  the  ser- 
vants of  the  General  Conference.  *  *  *  In  what  light  must 


352  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

we  regard  the  baptism  and  ordination  of  Methodist  ministers  ? 
They  have,  one  and  all,  received  their  ordination  and  authority 
from  Rome — the  mystical  Babylon — the  '  man  of  sin/  and  son 
of  perdition  —  through  the  Church  of  England!  *  *  *  Shall 
we  now,  without  either  a  stake  or  a  prison  in  view,  repudiate 
the  principles  and  practices  of  our  martyred  ancestors  by  recog- 
nizing the  man-called  (for  it  is  evident  that  God  never  called 
man  to  preach  Methodism),  and  man-made  preachers  of  your 
human  societies,  by  inviting  them  into  our  pulpits  and  thus  say- 
ing to  the  world,  These  are  Christ's  ministers,  hear  ye  them ; 
when  they  are  only  Mr.  Wesley's  preachers  ?  You  cannot  ex- 
pect the  reflecting  and  consistent  of  nry  (Baptist)  brethren  to 
act  thus!"     (Great  Iron  Wheel,  pp.  64,  05). 

"  Merciful  Father  !  Is  that  what  I  have  professed  to  believe  ?" 
exclaimed  the  old  man,  with  a  start  like  one  awaking  from  an 
unpleasant  dream,  and  as  tears  coursed  now  and  then  down  his 
time-furrowed  cheeks.  "  May  God  help  me  to  love  my  breth- 
ren !  Are  there  no  brethren  out  of  the  Baptist  church  ?  Is 
there  not  a  Methodist  or  Presbyterian  Christian  ?  Is  there  no 
Pedobaptist  Christian  ?  If  there  is,  we  are  assured  by  the 
Great  Head  of  the  Church  that  he  is  a  member  of  Christ's 
family — he  is  my  brother.  lie  is  of  that  one  fold,  and  over  us 
both  is  one  Shepherd — Christ  Jesus  !  Dare  I  thus  hurl  anathe- 
mas at  one  of  that  God-loved  and  blood-bought  throng?  'In- 
asmuch as  ye  have  done  it  unto  the  least  or  these,  ye  hare 
done  it  unto  me.'  Was  not  that  the  declaration  of  the  Great 
Judge  of  all  the  earth  ?  And  shall  not  I  hear  that  sentence 
proclaimed  one  day  as  I  stand  before  the  Great  White  Throne 
at  the  coming  judgment?  Here  lies  the  gist  of  the  whole 
question  —  is  there  a  Christian  among  them  ?  Will  God  sanc- 
tion and  accept,  by  the  bestowal  of  his  Spirit,  what  is  '  impious ' 
in  his  sight?  Will  he  accept  i sacrilege ? '  God  forgive  me  ! 
If  there  is  a  Christian  in  a  Pedobaptist  church,  and  if  their 
faith  is  what  ice  are  taught  it  is,  God  approves,  accepts,  and 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  353 

blesses,  ay,  and  saves  the  'sacrilegious'  and  the  ' impious/ 
"Will  God  countenance  that  which  he  denominates  in  his  word 
'  an  abomination '  to  him  ?  The  thought  is  almost  blasphemy  ! 
God  forgive  the  thought,  but  if  he  will  not  approve  of  what  is 
to  him  an  abomination,  and  these  charges  be  true — then  there  is 
not  a  Christian  in  a  Pedobaptist  church!  not  one!  —  Anna; 
Anna,  my  child,  come  to  me,  Anna ! " 

The  kind  old  man  was  writhing  in  mental  agony.  The  con- 
scious truth  had  broke  in  upon  his  mind  with  something  of  that 
force,  with  which  it  will  burst  upon  every  soul  standing  in  the 
light  of  eternity. 

"  Anna,  tell  me ;  am  I  wild,  or  is  it  true  that  I  have  belonged 
for  twenty  years  to  a  sect  that  is  seeking  to  unchristianize  all 
the  rest  of  the  world  ?" 

"  Father,  what  do  you  mean  —  what  is  the  matter?" 

"  Why,  Anna,  I  read  a  book  not  long  since,  written  by  one 
of  the  most  prominent  men  in  our  church,  and  eveiy  page  has 
since  haunted  me  like  a  ghostly  shadow  !  Is  there  no  church 
but  the  Baptist  church?  Are  all  other  doctrines  'impious/  all 
other  churches  '  Antichrist/  and  the  '  man  of  sin '  ?  " 

"  I  know  to  what  work  you  refer,  father ;  I  read  it.  And 
although  it  is  conceded  that  there  may  be  some  Christians  out 
of  the  Baptist  church,  yet  that  concession  is  inconsistent  with 
the  position  taken;  and  if  that  position  is  true  and  just,  and 
there  be  truth  in  the  word  of  God,  every  Pedobaptist  must  be 
lost." 

"Anna!" 

"  I  repeat  it,  father ;  if  the  position  taken  by  Mr.  Graves  in 
the  '  Great  Iron  Wheel'  is  true,  and  God's  word  is  true,  every 
Pedobaptist  must  be  lost.  He  says  that  '  all  Pedobaptist  socie- 
ties are  human,  man-devised  systems,  rival  folds,  hostile  to  the 
church  of  Christ ;  that  they  are  Antichrist.'  Jesus  said  :  '  He 
that  is  not  for  me  is  against  me :  and  he  that  gathereth  not 
with  me  scattereth  abroad.  Ye  cannot  serve  God  and  Mammon/ 
30*  x 


354  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

If,  then,  Pcdobaptists  are  Antichrist,  they  are  against  Christ, 
and  whom  do  they  serve  ? 

"  Graves  says  that  '  Pedobaptist  societies  are  rivals  of  the 
fold  of  Christ,  and  those  'who  enter  them  leave  Christ  to  follow 
men.' 

"  Jesus  says  :  '  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  they  foUmo  me  ; 
and  a  stranger  will  they  notfolloxc,  but  will  flee  from  him.'  There- 
fore Pedobaptists  are  the  servants  of  the  devil  and  must  perish. 
Graves  says  (pp.  48-9)  :  '  The  great  stone  cut  out  without 
hands  which  is  to  fill  the  whole  earth,  is  the  Close  Communion 
Baptist  church.'  This  Baptist  church  is  to  crush  out  all  '  pe- 
dobaptist societies  and  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  f  but  will 
God  crush  out  his  own  family  ?  No  !  every  one  of  them  is  pre- 
cious in  his  sight,  and  he  loves  them ;  therefore  he  has  not  a 
child  out  of  the  Baptist  church.  He  says,  further,  that  the 
woman,  spoken  of  in  Revelations,  on  whose  forehead  '  was  a 
name  written,  Mystery,  Babylon  the  Great,  the  mother  of  har- 
lots and  abominations  of  the  earth,  is  Popery,  and  that  the 
various  Pedobaptist  sects  are  her  daughters,  and  denominated 
in  the  above  passage  "  harlots  and  abominations ;"  and  that 
they  with  the  drunken  mother,  constitute  Babylon'  (Great  Iron 
Wheel,  pp.  30-31).  Saith  the  word  of  God :  '  Babylon  the 
Great  is  fallen,  is  fallen ;  and  is  become  the  habitations  of 
devils,  and  the  hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and  a  cage  for  every 
unclean  and  hateful  bird.  Therefore  shall  her  plagues  come  in 
one  day,  death,  and  mourning,  and  famine,  and  she  shall  be 
utterly  burned  with  fire.'     Graves  says 

"  0,  Anna,  Anna,  spare  me  !  Is  this  what  I  have  professed 
to  believe,  and  labored  to  support  for  twenty  years  ?  God 
knows  I  never  believed  it  —  never  !  I  never  —  you  know,  my 
child,  I  never  taught  it !  It  was  a  sin  of  ignorance,  for  I  really 
did  not  know  what  I  professed  to  believe.  Since  you  have  been 
speaking,  Anna,  I  have  been  thinking  of  some  Pedobaptists  in 
my  boyhood.  Yes,  it  seems  to  me  that  I  can  see  her  now  — 
even  now,  dying!" 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       355 

"Who?  father  — who?" 

"  The  one  God  gave  to  me  in  the  place  of  a  mother — a  godly 
woman.  Six  children  I  saw  her  bear  in  her  arms  to  God's 
altar,  and  there  consecrate  them  to  his  service.  The  entire  six 
stood  around  her  bed-side,  born  of  the  Spirit,  though  sorrowing 
in  view  of  their  earthly  loss,  yet  rejoicing  in  the  hope  of  coming 
glory !  I  was  there,  too,  an  orphan,  cast  upon  their  bounty, 
but  yet  '  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  bonds  of  iniquity/  my 
sins  unforgiven.  I  then  for  the  first  time  witnessed  how  Chris- 
tian faith  can  triumph  over  the  agonies  of  death  —  how  fear- 
lessly a  soul,  washed  in  the  blood  of  the  Savior,  can  trust  itself 
in  the  arms  of  its  God  when  all  human  help  is  unavailing.  For 
a  time  before  her  spirit  left  the  frail  tenement  of  clay,  there 
was  '  glory  begun '  in  her  soul.  '  Hark  ! '  she  would  exclaim  in 
broken  whispers,  '  hear  the  angels  chanting  !  Listen,  children 
—  listen!  They  wait  for  me  —  they  call  me  home  to  heaven  ! 
There  is  only  one  pang  more/  she  said,  after  a  dreadful  spasm, 
and  seeing  her  children  weeping  around  her,  '  only  one  pang 
more,  and  then — joy — peace — life  and  light  eternal/  Her  eyes 
rested  on  me  the  last  time  they  opened  on  earth,  and  she  faintly 
whispered,  'meet  me  —  meet  me  in  heaven!'  That  look  gave 
me  no  rest  till  I  found  it  in  Jesus.  No.  It  haunted  me  for 
weeks,  day  and  night,  till  my  sin-burdened  soul  groaned  beneath 
its  heavy  load,  and  I  was  ready  to  cast,  myself  at  the  foot  of  the 
cross,  and  cry,  '  God  be  merciful  unto  me,  a  sinner.  Lord,  I 
believe,  help  my  unbelief!'  Then  relief  came,  and  I  was 
found  sitting  in  my  right  mind  at  the  feet  of  Jesus." 

"  And  yet,"  said  Anna,  "  we  are  taught  in  that  work  that  all 
Pedobaptists  —  such  even  as  your  sainted  foster-mother  —  re- 
ceived the  mark  of  the  beast  in  their  foreheads  when  sprinkled. 
God  saith :  <  If  any  man  receive  his  mark  (the  beast's)  in 
his  forehead  or  in  his  hand,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the 
wine  of  the  wrath  of  God  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture 
into  the  cup  of  his  indignation,  and  he  shall  be  tormented 
with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and 


356  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

in  the  presence  of  the  Lamb ;  and  the  smoke  of  their  torment 
ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever,  and  they  have  no  rest  day  nor 
night,  who  worship  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  whosoever  re- 
ceiveth  the  mark  of  his  name.'  Thus,  Mr.  Graves,  by  his  posi- 
tion, virtually  condemns  irrevocably  all  Pedobaptists  to  eternal 
perdition." 

"0,  Anna,  is  it  possible!" 

"  It  is  not  only  the  position  taken  by  Mr.  Graves,  but  by 
others  of  our  Baptist  brethren  also  —  and  the  world  ought  to 
know  it.  I  have  heard  it,  father,  from  a  Baptist  minister,  and 
in  a  Baptist  pulpit ! " 

"When,  my  child,  and  from  whom?" 

"  But  a  few  weeks  ago,  when  you  were  absent,  and  Elder 

F filled  your  pulpit,  and  preached  from  these  words : 

'  Buried  with  Christ  in  baptism.'  He,  in  the  course  of  his 
discourse,  referred  to  the  passage  from  Revelation  which  I 
quoted,  and  plainly  and  distinctly  stated  that  l  Sprinklmy  u-as 
the  mark  of  the  beast ;'  and  he  even  repeated  it !  Why  should 
we  seek  to  cloak  it,  when  others  publish  it  in  books  and  tracts 
innumerable ;  and  scatter  them  broad-cast  all  over  the  land ; 
and  even  encompass  earth  and  sea  to  make  one  proselyte  to  their 
faith?  Why  —  when  they  publish  it  boldly  from  the  sacred 
desk  ?  If  any  one  doubts  this,  let  him  examine  their  publica- 
tions and  listen  to  their  sermons,  and  then  judge  them  from 
their  own  works,  and  their  own  mouths." 

"  But  it  is  not  so  with  all,  Anna  —  you  know  it  is  not." 

"  True,  father,  the  great  body  of  the  Baptist  church  are 
living,  active  Christians.  They  are  sincere  in  their  beliefs  and 
practices,  though  blinded  and  misled,  in  regard  to  their  peculiar 
faith,  by  those  who  permit  their  party  spirit  and  sectarian  zeal 
to  sway  them  in  all  their  actions,  to  embitter  all  their  writings, 
and  to  overlook  and  neglect  their  Master's  cause  in  advocating 
their  own. 

'Faith  —  fanatic  faith,  once  'wedded  fast, 
To  some  dear  falsehood,  hugs  it  to  the  last.'" 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  857 


CHAPTER  XII. 


"Gather  the  rosebuds  while  ye  may, 
Old  Time  is  still  a-flying, 
And  that  same  flower  that  blooms  to-day, 
To-morrow  shall  be  dying." 

:  The  night  is  mother  of  the  day,  the  winter  of  the  spring, 
And  ever  upon  old  decay  the  greenest  mosses  cling. 
Behind  the  cloud  the  starlight  lurks,  thro'  showers  the  sunbeams  fall, 
For  God,  who  loveth  all  his  works,  hath  left  his  hope  with  all." 

"Then  nerve  thy  spirit  to  the  proof, 
And  blench  not  at  thy  chosen  lot; 
The  timid  good  may  stand  aloof, 
The  sage  may  frown  —  yet  faint  thou  not, 
Nor  heed  the  shaft  too  surely  cast, 
The  foul  and  hissing  bolt  of  scorn; 
For  with  thy  side  shall  dwell,  at  last, 
The  victory  of  endurance  born." 


On  the  morrow  there  was  an  excited  throng  at  Elder  Clay- 
ton's. The  study  was  filled  long  before  the  hour,  and  still  they 
were  coming.  Elder  Clayton,  in  view  of  the  gathering  num- 
bers, said :  "  My  friends,  we  have  better  accommodations  for 
you  below.  I  think  we  can  there  find  seats  for  you  all."  They 
were  soon  seated  in  their  new  quarters,  and  ready  for  the  busi- 
ness of  the  day.  There  seemed  a  deep  interest  on  the  part 
of  all. 

"What  are  your  claims,  Elder  Mason?"  asked  Halley. 
"  Will  you  please  give  us  a  statement  ?  " 

"Baptists  believe,"  said  Elder  Mason,  clearing  his  throat 


358  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

with  conscious  dignity,  "  that  they  alone  have  existed  as  pure 
communities  of  Christians  from  the  day  of  Christ's  ascension 
until  now  (Great  Iron  Wheel,  p.  567).  They  alone,  of  all 
religious  sects,  have  suffered  the  cruel  persecutions  of  the  beast 
for  1260  years,  and  consequently  they  believe  themselves  to  be 
the  kingdom  which  Christ  came  to  set  up,  that  must  stand  for- 
ever, despite  the  malice  or  powers  of  hell." 

"A  modest  claim!"  muttered  Elder  Clayton,  with  a  look  of 
half-mingled  contempt  and  pity. 

"  You  claim,  then,  in  the  first  place,"  said  Halley,  "  that  you 
alone  have  existed  as  pure  Christian  communities  down  through 
1800  years.  Now  before  we  proceed  further,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary for  us  to  understand  what  you  consider  a  '  pure  commu- 
nity of  Christians ; '  then  we  shall  be  ready  to  investigate  your 
claims.  You  hold,  I  suppose,  that  the  Baptist  church  now  is  a 
pure  Christian  community  ?  " 

"Yes,  certainly;  the  Baptist  church  is  pure  in  doctrine, 
forms,  and  discipline." 

"  We  are  then  to  understand  you,  that  there  have  been  com- 
munities or  churches  like  yours,  in  doctrine,  forms,  and  disci- 
pline, in  existence — an  unbroken  chain — from  the  time  of  our 
Savior  down  to  the  present  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  that  is  what  we  claim." 

"And,  secondly,"  continued  Halley;  "you  claim  that  these 
pure  communities  or  churches  like  yours,  in  doctrine,  forms, 
and  discipline,  have  alone  suffered  the  persecutions  of  the  beast, 
and  consequently  consider  yourselves  the  kingdom  Christ  came 
to  set  up  ?  " 

"  That  is  precisely  our  belief,  sir." 

"  May  I  ask  now  what  the  names  of  those  sects  are  through 
which  you  trace  your  lineage  ?  " 

"Their  names?"  replied  Elder  Mason.  "They  are  well 
known  to  history,  sir.  They  are  called  (Theodosia  Ernest, 
vol.  i.  p.  339)  Donatists,  Novatianists,  Cathari  or  Puritans, 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  859 

Paulicians,  Henricans,  Petrobrusians,  Mennonites,  Albigensea, 
Waldenses,  etc." 

"  And  Baptists,  I  suppose,  you  would  add." 

"  Yes,  sir,  certainly,  that  is  understood." 

"  Then  we  will  begin  with  the  Baptists,"  continued  Halley, 
"and  trace  back  the  ancestry.  From  what  sect,  and  when,  do 
you  date  the  present  organization  ?  How  long  has  the  Baptist 
church  existed  under  its  present  name  ?  " 

"  It  was  of  English  birth,  sir,  some  time  in  the  seventeenth 
century." 

"  I  have  no  reason  to  differ  from  you  on  that  statement ;  still, 
for  the  satisfaction  of  those  present,  I  will  read  the  authority — 
we  will  have  the  historical  proofs.  In  the  Encyclopedia  Ame- 
ricana, it  is  stated  :  '  We  may  date  the  first  public  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  Baptists  as  distinct  from  the  Anabaptists,  from 
their  petition  to  Parliament,  in  1620.  In  1623  they  are 
described  as  carrying  an  external  appearance  of  holiness,  as 
denying  the  doctrines  of  predestination,  reprobation,  etc.  It  is 
probable,  therefore,  that  the  Baptists  of  that  time  were  General 
Baptists.  The  year  1633  provides  us  with  the  earliest  records 
remaining,  of  the  formation  of  a  Particular  Baptist  church  in 
London.' 

"Dr.  Murdock,  in  his  translation  of  Mosheim's  Church 
History,  gives  a  more  particular  account  of  the  matter  in  a  note 
on  p.  473,  vol.  iii.  I  will  read  this  also.  '  The  first  regular 
congregation  of  English  Baptists  appears  to  have  originated 
from  certain  English  Puritans,  who  returned  from  Holland  after 
the  death  of  their  pastor,  Rev.  John  Smith,  who  died  in  1610. 
These  were  the  General  or  Arminian  Baptists,  and  may  be  sup- 
posed to  have  derived  many  of  their  opinions  from  the  Menno- 
nites. From  this  time  onward,  churches  of  General  Baptists 
were  formed  here  and  there  in  different  parts  of  England.  But 
in  general  they  made  no  great  figure,  and  do  not  appear  to  have 
had  much  connection,  or  to  have  professed  one  uniform  faith. 


360  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

The  Particular  or  Calvinistic  Baptists  trace  their  origin  to  a 
congregation  of  Independents,  established  in  London  in  the 
year  1610.  This  congregation  having  become  very  large,  and 
some  of  them  differing  from  the  others  on  the  subject  of  infant 
baptism,  they  agreed  to  divide.  Those  who  disbelieved  in  infant 
baptism  were  regularly  dismissed  in  1033,  and  formed  into  a 
new  church  under  the  Rev.  John  Spilsbury.  In  1038  several 
more  members  were  dismissed  to  Mr.  Spilsbury's  church.  And 
in  1039  a  new  Baptist  church  was  formed.  Now  churches  of 
Particular  Baptists  multiplied  rapidly.' " 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Anna,  "  that  we  have  already  come 
to  a  break  in  the  lineage.  The  very  first  Galvinistic  or  Close 
Communion  Baptist  church  on  record  was  regularly  set  off,  or 
dismissed  from  an  Independent  or  Congregational  church ! 
What  further  need  we  say  ?  After  all,  then,  Elder  Mason,  you 
and  Mr.  Graves  are  both  off-shoots  from  our  time-honored  Con- 
gregational brethren  !  You  ought  to  be  proud  of  this  discovery, 
for  thereby  you  establish  a  nobler  and  purer  ancestry  than  that 
claimed  by  Mr.  Graves  and  others  of  your  denomination.  What 
can  we  do  now  but  take  the  parent  stock,  the  Independents,  and 
trace  them  to  their  origin  ?  " 

"  I  am  sure,"  said  Elder  Mason,  "  that  Dr.  Murdock  states 
that  the  first  congregation  of  English  Baptists  originated  from 
certain  Puritans  who  returned  from  Holland,  and  that  they  de- 
rived their  principles  from  the  Mennonites." 

"  And  adds,  moreover,"  replied  Halley,  "that  they  were  the 
Arminian  or  General  (i.  e.  Free- Will)  Baptists.  Are  their  doc- 
trines the  ones  we  are  tracing '(  Do  you  hold  that  open  commu- 
nion is  a  distinguishing  feature  of  a  '  pure  community  of 
Christ?'  Remember  we  arc  tracing  not  the  name  Baptist,  but 
'  those  pure  doctrines,  forms  and  discipline'  now  peculiar  to  our 
Close  Communion  Baptist  brethren.  Whither  then,  Elder 
Mason,  shall  we  go  now  to  get  a  trace  of  them  ?" 

"Arminian  Baptists,"  he    replied,  "agree  with  us  in   the 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  361 

form  of  baptism,  and  also  in  rejecting  infant  baptism.  Those 
may  be  called  the  distinguishing  characteristics  of  our  brethren 
in  all  ages  of  the  world." 

"  Then  give  up  your  Close  Communion.  If  tbat  is  not  essen- 
tial to  a  '  pure  community  of  Christ/  why  do  you  retain  it  ? 
If  there  has  ever  been  in  existence  a  '  pure  community '  which 
held  to,  and  practised  Open  Communion,  that  doctrine  is  pure 
still ;  and  Close  Communion  is  impure,  and  you  have  rendered 
yourselves  unworthy  of  your  lineage.  Dr.  Murdoch  adds : 
'  Before  the  erection  of  regular  Baptist  congregations,  and 
indeed  for  some  time  after,  it  was  very  common  for  Baptists 
and  others  to  belong  to  the  same  church,  and  to  worship  and 
commune  together.'  Was  that  right  ?  If  it  was,  why  do  you 
not  now  throw  open  your  hearts  and  the  Lord's  table  to  your 
brethren?  If  that  was  wrong,  how  happens  it  that  a  pure 
stream  flows  from  an  impure  fountain  ?  Let  me  ask  in  the 
words  of  our  Savior :  '  Can  a  fountain  at  the  same  time  send 
forth  sweet  waters  and  bitter  ? ' " 

"  How  is  it  with  regard  to  the  second  claim  ?  "  asked  Squire 
Tanner.     "  Whom  did  the  '  beast  persecute  in  those  days  ?  " 

"Dr.  3Iurdock  further  remarks  in  the  same  connection," 
replied  Halley :  "  On  the  restoration  of  Charles  II.,  in  1660, 
the  Baptists,  with  all  other  nonconformists,  were  exposed  to 
great  troubles  and  persecutions  ;  and  at  the  close  of  the  revolu- 
tion in  1688,  they,  as  well  as  the  other  dissenters,  obtained  free 
toleration.' " 

"  Then  they  fared  pretty  much  all  alike  when  they  communed 
together,"  said  Squire  Tanner.  "  But  if  they  had  set  them- 
selves up  as  something  better  and  holier  than  all  the  rest  of  the 
world,  and  thus  rendered  themselves  exclusives,  I  do'nt  know 
how  they  could  consistently  complain  if  they  got  exclusive 
fare." 

"  What  are  we  to  do  now?"  urged  Halley.  "Do  you,  Elder 
Mason,  resign  your  position  first  taken,  '  That  there  has  been 
31 


3G2  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

in  existence  for  1800  years  a  community  like  yours  in  doctrine, 
forms,  and  discipline  ? '  " 

"  No,  sir !  I  do'nt  think  it  is  necessary  that  they  should  be 
identical  in  every  minute  respect.  It  is  sufficient  that  they 
agree  in  the  grand  fundamental  principles.  All  Baptists  are 
Baptists ;  and  we  are  clearly  descended  from  the  Mennonites. 
I  see  nothing  in  the  way  of  our  progress." 

"But  hold  !  You  say  that  all  Baptists  are  Baptists  —  grant 
it ;  but  do  you  intend  us  to  understand  from  that,  that  all  Bap- 
tist churches  are  pure  churches,  and  that  you  recognize  them  as 
such  ?  Where,  then,  is  your  communion-table  ?  Why  do  you 
shut  out  a  large  part  of  your  own  brethren  —  a  part  of  the 
'pure  churches  of  Christ' — from  the  ordinances  of  the  Lord's 
house?  If  merely  the  form  of  immersion,  and  the  rejection 
of  infant  baptism,  render  a  sect '  the  pure  community  of  Christ,' 
wherein  are  you  better  than  the  Free-Will,  the  Six-Principled, 
and  the  Seventh-Day  Baptists,  or  the  Tunkers,  Emancipators, 
Rogerenes,  Mennonites,  etc.  ?  How  happens  it  that  the  house 
is  divided  against  itself?  Says  Graves  (Great  Iron  Wheel, 
p.  23)  :  •  Divided  and  warring  among  themselves  —  if  they  are 
indeed  of  one  household,  they  cannot  stand.  The  friendly 
alien  is  astonished  and  offended  —  skeptics  laugh,  and  devils 
rejoice  !'  I  call  your  attention  to  this  point,  for  it  is  well  wor- 
thy your  consideration ;  and  again,  in  the  language  of  Graves, 
would  exclaim,  '  This  subject  is  too  grave,  too  momentous  for 
trifling!'  We  are  to  understand  you  then,  Elder  Mason,  that 
all  Baptists,  of  whatever  name  beside,  are,  if  they  reject  infant 
baptism  and  practise  immersion, pure  and  regular  Baptists?" 

"  No,  sir  !  I  do  not  change  my  position.  I  have  no  doubt 
that  it  can  be  proved  from  history,  that  Calvinistic  Baptists  are 
the  regular  descendants  of  the  Mennonites,  and  they  from  the 
Waldenses,  etc." 

"Well,  sir,  we  are  all  attention.     Where  is  your  proof?" 

"I  think  we  can  tell  by  examining  the  principles  of  the 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       363 

Mennonites.  If  their  faith  is  like  ours,  or  similar  to  it,  we 
may  justly  claim  them  in  our  lineage." 

"  Very  well,  sir,  we  will  make  the  examination ;  but  first,  if 
you  please,  let  me  produce  another  Church  History,  by  Dr. 
Charles  Hase,  Prof,  of  Theology  in  the  University  of  Jena, 
Germany.  I  will  read  his  testimony  regarding  the  origin  of 
the  English  Baptists.  He  says,  p.  610  :  '  The  Baptists  of  Eng- 
land and  North  America  had  their  origin  principally  among  the 
Independents  SINCE  1630.  The  largest  portion  adhere 
strictly  to  Calvinistic  orthodoxy  and  discipline ;  but  a  part  are 
Arminians  (General  Baptists),  and  some  have  no  ecclesiastical 
discipline.'  Here,  then,  is  your  parentage !  I  should  very 
much  like  to  see  you,  Elder  Mason,  bring  history  to  prove  that 
you  are  a  legitimate  descendant  of  the  Mennonites  or  Anabap- 
tists. I  desire  you  to  get  back  at  least  one  century  more  to- 
ward the  Apostles.  You  are  yet  over  1600  years  off",  and  have 
come  to  a  break  —  an  impassable  dike  —  no  connection  to  be 
made  in  a  regular  line  now ! 

"  But  we  will  willingly  come  to  your  assistance,  and,  by  a 
change  of  tactics,  endeavor  to  aid  you  to  take  one  more  step 
tending  toward  an  '  apostolical  succession  ! '  Let  us  then,  as 
you  desire,  examine  the  principles  of  the  Mennonites ;  and 
here  is  an  exposition  of  them  by  Dr.  Mosheim." 

"Who  was  Mosheim?"  asked  Elder  Clayton. 

"  He  was  a  German.  He  was  born  in  1694.  His  favorite 
pursuits  were  pulpit  elocpience,  biblical  and  historical  theology, 
and  practical  religion.  His  education  was  completed  at  the 
University  of  Kiel,  where  at  an  early  age  he  became  professor 
of  philosophy.  The  King  of  Denmark  invited  him  to  a  pro- 
fessorship at  Copenhagen.  Soon  after  (1725),  the  Duke  of 
Brunswick  called  him  to  the  Divinity  chair  at  Helmstadt, 
which  he  filled  with  great  credit  twenty-two  years.  Says  Dr. 
Murdock :  <  In  1747,  when  George  II.,  King  of  England,  the 
founder  of  the  University  of  Gottingen,  wished  to  place  over 


364  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

that  institution  men  of  the  highest  rank  in  the  literary  •world, 
Dr.  Mosheirn  was  decreed  worthy  to  be  its  chancellor,  and  the 
head  of  the  department  of  theology.  In  this  honorable  station 
he  remained  eight  years,  or  till  his  death,  Sept.  9,  1755/ 
Schlegel,  Schroeck,  Warburton,  and  others,  speak  in  the 
highest  terms  of  him  as  a  church  historian.  He  is  called  the 
first  real  modern  historian  of  the  church.  His  work  is  a 
standard  one.  Graves,  speaking  of  him  in  connection  with 
the  history  of  the  Baptists,  says  :  '  He  was  conversant  with  all 
the  facts'  (Great  Iron  Wheel,  p.  570).  Let  us  see,  then,  what 
Dr.  Mosheirn  says  (p.  212,  ss.  vol.  iii.) :  'All  the  opinions  which 
are  common  to  the  body  of  the  Mennonites  are  founded  on  this 
one  principle  as  their  basis,  namely,  that  the  kingdom  which 
Christ  has  established  on  earth,  or  the  church,  is  a  visible  so- 
ciety or  company  in  which  is  no  place  for  any  but  holy  or  pious 
persons  ("That's  it!"  exclaimed  Elder  Mason;  "I  told  you  we 
should  find  them  alike !"),  and  which  therefore  has  none  of 
those  institutions  and  provisions  which  human  sagacity  has  de- 
vised for  the  benefit  of  the  ungodly.  This  principle  was 
frankly  avowed  by  the  ancestors  of  the  Mennonites ;  but  the 
moderns,  in  their  confessions,  either  cover  it  up  under  words 
of  dubious  import,  or  appear  to  reject  it;  yet  they  cannot  actu- 
ally reject  it,  or  cannot  unless  they  would  be  inconsistent,  and 
would  deprive  their  doctrines  of  their  natural  basis.  But  in 
regard  to  the  most  modern  Mennonites  (about  1725),  as  they 
have  departed  in  very  many  things  from  the  views  and  the  in- 
stitutions of  their  fathers,  so  they  have  abandoned  nearly  alto- 
gether this  principle  respecting  the  nature  of  the  Christian 
church.  *  *  Nevertheless,  from  the  doctrines  of  the  old  Ana- 
baptists respecting  the  church  flow  the  principles  and  opinions 
by  which  they  (Mennonites)  are  distinguished  from  other 
Christians.  This  doctrine  requires,  I.  That  they  should  receive 
none  into  their  church  by  the  sacrament  of  baptism  unless  they 
arc  adults,  and  have  the  full  use  of  their  reason.     Because  it 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  365 

is  uncertain  -with  regard  to  infants  whether  they  will  hecorne 
pious  or  irreligious ;  neither  can  they  pledge  their  faith  to  the 
church  to  lead  a  holy  life.  ("  I  told  you  they  were  the  regular 
Baptists  —  the  Baptists  ! "  said  Elder  Mason,  scarcely  able  to 
restrain  himself  from  expressions  of  joy.)  It  requires :  II. 
That  they  should  not  admit  of  magistrates,  nor  suffer  any  of 
their  members  to  perform  the  functions  of  a  magistrate.  Be- 
cause where  there  are  no  bad  men,  there  can  be  no  need  of 
magistrates.  (Elder  Mason's  countenance  began  to  lengthen.) 
III.  It  requires,  that  they  should  deny  the  justice  of  repelling 
force  by  force,  or  of  waging  war.  Because  as  they  who  are 
perfectly  holy  cannot  be  provoked  by  injuries,  nor  commit  them, 
so  they  have  no  need  of  the  support  of  arms  in  order  to  their 
safety.  IV.  It  requires,  that  they  should  have  strong  aversion 
to  all  penalties  and  punishments,  and  especially  to  capital  pun- 
ishments. Because  punishments  are  aimed  at  the  wickedness 
and  the  crimes  of  men,  but  the  church  of  Christ  is  free  from 
all  crimes  and  wickedness.  V.  It  forbids  the  calling  of  God 
to  witness  any  transaction,  or  the  confirming  anything  by  an 
oath.  Because  minds  that  are  actuated  solely  by  a  love  of 
what  is  good  and  right,  never  violate  their  faith,  nor  dissemble 
the  truth.  From  this  doctrine  follows  likewise  the  VI.  Which 
has  reference  to  the  severe  and  rigid  discipline  of  the  old  Ana- 
baptists, which  produced  so  many  commotions  among  them.' 
Here,  on  p.  215,  says  Dr.  Mosheim :  III.  '  The  more  rigid 
Mennonites  hold,  that  all  excommunicated  persons  are  to  be 
shunned  as  if  they  were  pests,  and  are  to  be  deprived  of  all 
social  intercourse.  Hence  the  ties  of  kindred  must  be  severed, 
and  the  voice  of  nature  must  be  unheeded.  Between  parents 
and  their  children,  husbands  and  their  wives,  there  must  be 
no  hind  looks,  no  conversation,  no  manifestation  of  affection,  and 
no  kind  offices,  when  the  church  has  once  pronounced  them 
unworthy  of  her  communion.  IV.  That  the  example  of 
Christ,  which  has  in  this  instance  the  force  of  a  law,  requires 
31* 


366  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

his  disciples  to  wash  the  feet  of  their  guests  in  token  of  their 
love.'  These  more  rigid  Mennonites  are  called  the  stricter 
('fine,  or  more  rigid,'  p.  210)  Baptists;  and  you  profess  to  be 
of  that  class,  Elder  Mason.  Do  you  endorse  and  put  in  prac- 
tice these  principles  ?  Have  you  ever  washed  the  feet  of  your 
brethren  ?  Do  you  profess  to  be  of  pure  stock,  to  have  de- 
scended from  pure  churches,  and  yet  repudiate  the  doctrines 
and  practices  of  your  ancestry? 

"But  again :  Dr.  Mosheim  (p.  218),  says,  in  tracing  the  re- 
semblance between  the  doctrines  of  the  Mennonites  and  the 
Particular  Baptists  of  his  day :  I.  '  Like  the  ancient  Menno- 
nites they  regard  their  own  church  as  being  the  only  true 
church  of  Christ,  and  most  carefully  avoid  connection  with  all 
other  religious  communities.  II.  They  immerse  candidates  for 
baptism  only  once,  and  not  three  times  ("Ah !  they  are  our  an- 
cestors ! "  exclaimed  Elder  Mason.  "  We  have  found  them 
now ! ") — and  they  esteem  it  unessential  whether  new  converts 
be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
or  only  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  IV.  Many  of  them  adopt 
Menno's  opinion  respecting  the  origin  of  Christ's  body.  V. 
They  consider  the  decrees  of  the  Apostles  (Acts  xv.  25),  re- 
specting blood  and  things  strangled  to  be  a  law  binding  on  the 
church  universal.  VI.  They  believe  that  the  soul,  between 
death  and  the  resurrection  at  the  last  day,  has  neither  pleasure 
nor  pain,  but  is  in  a  state  of  insensibility.  VII.  They  use  ex- 
treme unction.  VIII.  Some  of  them,  in  addition  to  the  Lord's 
day  or  Sunday,  keep  also  the  Jewish  Sabbath.  I  omit  the 
notice  of  minor  points.  These  Baptists  have  bishops,  and  pres- 
byters, and  deacons.'  Do  you  claim  thcin  as  identical  with  your 
denomination,  Elder  Mason?" 

"  In  many  points  we  agree,"  he  replied,  "  and  sufficiently  so, 
I  think,  to  establish  a  parentage." 

"  In  many  points  you  do,  I  concede.  But  were  they  identi- 
cal with  you  in  doctrines,  forms,  and  discipline  ?    If  they  were 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  o67 

not,  how  can  they  be  a  pure  church  of  Christ  ?  Or  granting 
them  pure,  and  you  differing  from  them,  how  can  you  be  a  pure 
church  ?  " 

"  What  was  the  connection  between  the  Anabaptists  and  the 
Mennonites  ?  "  asked  Anna. 

"  We  will  let  Mosheim  answer  that  question,"  replied  Halley. 
"  He  states  (vol.  iii.  p.  140)  :  '  The  infancy  of  the  new  church 
was  disturbed  by  a  sect  of  delirious  fanatics,  who  turned  the 
world  upside-down,  and  who  imagined  that  they  were  moved 
by  a  divine  afflatus  to  set  up  a  new  kingdom  of  Christ,  free  from 
all  sin.  *  *  The  -worst  members  of  this  motley  company  con- 
stituted that  seditious  band  which  produced  the  rustic  war 
(Peasants'  war)  in  Germany,  and  also  that  which  disturbed 
Westphalia,  and  settled  itself  in  Munster.  While  the  better 
members,  terrified  by  the  miseries  and  slaughter  of  their  com- 
panions, joined  themselves  at  last  to  a  sect  called  Mennonites.' 

"  Dr.  Charles  Hase,  in  his  Church  History,  p.  431,  says: 
'  While  the  Reformers  justified  their  opposition  to  the  Papacy 
by  appealing  to  the  Scriptures,  or  to  clear  and  manifest  reasons, 
it  was  not  surprising  that  others  on  the  contrary,  decidedly  ar- 
rogated to  themselves  as  individuals,  what  the  church  claimed 
for  herself  in  general,  and  that  fanatical  persons  mistook  their 
own  passionate  impulses  for  divine  inspiration.  *  *  These 
Anabaptists  who  made  their  first  appearance  at  Zwichau  and 
Wittenberg  (1521),  were  nearly  all  put  to  death  in  the  Peasants' 
war,  but  in  almost  every  part  of  the  country  a  class  of  enthu- 
siasts resembling  them,  but  very  unlike  each  other  in  moral 
and  religious  character,  became  the  pioneers  and  freebooters  of 
the  Reformation.' " 

"  It  seems,  then,"  said  Anna,  "  that  Anabaptist  was  the  gene- 
ral or  generic  name  common  to  them  all,  and  that  the  Menno- 
nites were  a  branch,  -which  Mosheim  denominates  the  better 
part  of  them.  But  is  nothing  known,  with  any  certainty,  of 
their  origin  ?  " 


368  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  Moslieim  says,  in  regard  to  that,  p.  198  :  '  The  origin  of 
the  sect,  who  from  their  repetition  of  the  baptism  received  in 
other  communities,  are  called  Anabaptists,  but  who  are  also  de- 
nominated Mennonites  from  the  celebrated  man  to  whom  they 
owe  a  large  share  of  their  present  prosperity,  is  involved  in 
much  obscurity.  For  they  suddenly  started  up  in  various  coun- 
tries of  Europe,  under  the  influence  of  leaders  of  dissimilar 
characters  and  views,  and  at  the  same  time  when  the  first  con- 
tests with  the  Catholics  so  distracted  the  attention  of  all,  that 
they  scarcely  noticed  any  other  passing  occurrences.'  And  on 
p.  202  :  '  In  my  opinion  this  only  can  be  affirmed,  that  at  one 
and  the  same  time,  that  is,  not  long  after  the  commencement  of 
the  reformation  I>y  Luther,  there  arose  men  of  this  sort  in  seve- 
ral different  countries.  This  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact, 
that  the  first  leaders  of  any  note  among  the  Anabaptists,  were 
nearly  all  founders  of  different  sects.' " 

"  Now  you  see,"  said  Elder  Mason,  "  that  it  is  clearly  esta- 
blished that  the  Mennonites  as  a  sect  of  the  Anabaptists  are  in 
our  line  of  ancestors." 

"  I  do  not  see  it  all  as  yet,  Elder  Mason ;  for  you  have  not 
even  shown  that  the  Anabaptists  are  your  ancestors.  Still  I 
never  once  doubted  that  they  suggested  and  gave  birth  to  some 
of  your  peculiar  doctrines ;  but  I  do  doubt  whether  you  can 
point  to  the  time  when  any  one  church  ceased  to  be  called  Men- 
nonites, and  thereupon  received  the  name  of  Calvinistic  Bap- 
tists. And  this  being  the  case,  how  do  you  know  that  the  or- 
dinances were  handed  from  them  to  you?  Where  is  your 
regular  succession'  ?" 

"  Nevertheless,  said  Elder  Mason,  "  we  claim  that  the  Ana- 
baptists, on  account  of  their  rejection  of  infant  baptism  and 
their  practice  of  immersion — yes,  and  Communion,  too,  for  they 
would  not  commune  with  other  sects  —  were  identical  with  us. 
The  Mennonites,  however,  as  a  distinct  order  of  the  Anabap- 
tists, more  nearly  resemble  us." 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  oC9 

"  I  cannot  concede  you  the  point  just  yet,"  said  Halley.  "  I 
am  going  to  quote  your  own  favorite  author.  Turn  to  <  Great 
Iron  Wheel/  p.  5G8  :  there  Mr.  Graves,  tracing  the  history  of 
the  Baptist  church — which  seems  in  most,  or  all  of  his  works, 
to  have  troubled  him  very  much  —  quotes  from  the  Preface  of 
Orchard's  History  of  Foreign  Baptists  :  '  They  (Pedobaptists) 
allege  that  the  mad  men  of  Munster  were  Baptists,  and  that 
Baptists  as  such  were  the  authors  of  the  rebellion,  and  all  the 
excesses  of  that  period,  and  they  point  us  to  Munster,  when  we 
speak  of  our  origin  and  history,  and  sneeringly  say,  There  was 
your  origin,  and  that  your  early  history.'  But  brother  Graves 
disowns  this  ancestry  here,  and  in  his  repudiation  of  them, 
sa}Ts :  '  In  vindication,  we  point  them  to  the  pages  of  Merle 
D'Aubigne :  he  says,  On  one  point  it  seems  necessary  to  guard 
against  misapprehension.  Some  persons  imagine  that  the  Ana- 
baptists of  the  time  of  the  Reformation,  and  the  Baptists  of 
our  day,  are  the  same.  But  they  are  as  different  as  possible.' 
He  then  refers  to  Fessenden's  Encyclopaedia :  '  The  English 
and  Dutch  Baptists  do  not  consider  the  word  (Anabaptist)  as 
at  all  applicable  to  their  sect.  It  is  but  justice  to  observe,  that 
the  Baptists  of  Holland,  England,  and  the  United  States,  are 
to  be  essentially  distinct  from  those  seditious  and  fanatical  in- 
dividuals above  mentioned,  as  they  profess  an  equal  aversion  to 
all  principles  of  rebellion  of  the  one,  and  enthusiasm  of  the 
other.' " 

"  Do  you  say  that  Graves  makes  those  quotations  and  state- 
ments?" asked  Elder  Mason,  with  a  flushed  face  and  an  ex- 
ceedingly embarrassed  air. 

"  He  does,"  replied  Halley;  "  and  that,  too,  in  a  direct  effort 
•to  prove  that  such  claims  as  you  are  endeavoring  to  enforce 
here  to-day,  and  which  I  have  not  yet  granted  you,  are  fake 
charges  urged  by  your  enemies  to  your  hurt !  Desist,  I  beg  of 
you,  Elder  Mason,  in  the  name  of  Graves,  desist !  But  to  show 
you  what  consistency  there  is  in  Mr.  Graves'  statements,  I  will 

Y 


870  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

make  a  few  more  quotations.  In  Theodosia  Ernest,  vol.  i. 
pp.  168,  169,  he  repeats  what  has  already  been  quoted  from 
him  in  the  Great  Iron  Wheel,  and  then  on  p.  172,  he  quotes 
as  the  highest  reliable  authority:  <  We  have  now  seen  that  the 
Baptists  who  were  formerly  called  Anabaptists,  and,  in 
later  times,  Mennonites,  were  the  original  Waldenses,  etc.' 

"  Immediately  after  having  repudiated  them  to  evade  the 
odium  of  their  crimes,  Mr.  Graves,  in  order  to  make  it  appear 
that  his  denomination  is  of  great  antiquity,  and  to  put  them  in 
as  a  connecting  link,  acknowledges  them  as  Baptist  brethren 
and  endorses  all  statements  to  that  effect !  And  in  vol.  ii.  p. 
418,  he  says,  that  Munzer  —  the  noted  leader  of  the  fanatical 
Anabaptists  —  was  a  Baptist  minister,  and  that  Luther  was 
exasperated  at  the  number  of  his  converts  (the  Anabaptists  of 
course)  to  the  Baptist  faith  —  that  is,  to  the  faith  of  the  Ana- 
baptists, for  all  his  followers  were  Anabaptists,  and  in  general, 
the  worst  phase  in  which  they  have  ever  manifested  themselves 
to  the  world.  Thus  after  indignantly  vindicating  the  Baptists 
from  the  charge  of  being  in  any  way  allied  to  the  Anabap- 
tists, he  in  the  same  connection  nearly,  dec-lares  them  to  be  the 
same.  And  so  it  is  in  the  Great  Iron  Wheel,  p.  568.  He  pre- 
sents two  sets  of  arguments  ;  although  one  is  directly  opposed 
to,  and  destroys,  virtually,  the  other;  still,  as  he  discovers  that 
it  might  be  expedient  to  have  them  both  on  hand  for  different 
occasions — that  is,  if  there  is  anything  to  be  gained  by  a  denial 
of  all  connection  with  these  German  fanatics,  then  he  quotes 
his  authorities  to  that  effect;  but  on  the  other  hand,  if  circum- 
stances arise,  like  the  present,  then,  in  order  to  make  a  connec- 
tion, it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  recognize  them  in  some  gene- 
ral non-committal  way  —  or  in  more  definite  terms,  perhaps! 
All  this  he  does,  apparently,  without  the  least  hesitation  or 
compunctions  of  conscience  !  But,  Elder  Mason,  what  position 
do  you  take  ?  It  is  impossible  for  us  to  proceed  with  both.  Do 
you  claim,  or  repudiate,  your  ancestry  ?  " 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       371 

"  I  do  not  change  my  position,  sir,  if  other  people  do,"  replied 
Elder  Mason,  rather  pertly.  "  I  shall  maintain  that  we  trace 
our  origin  through  the  Mennonites  and  Anabaptists  ! " 

"  Yes,  that  is  proper  on  an  occasion  like  this,"  responded 
Halley,  with  the  least  perceptible  curl  of  the  lip.  "  Very  well, 
then,  let  us  look  after  the  character  of  this  pure  Gospel  church 
of  your  ancestors.  If  it  is  a  pure  church,  we  shall  find  the 
spirit  of  the  Gospel  exhibited  in  the  lives  and  characters  of  its 
members.  Here  is  Motley's  History,  a  standard  and  excellent 
work  —  not  a  church  history;  if  it  was,  you  might  evasively 
accuse  it  of  bias  —  but  it  is  a  secular  history,  called  'The  Rise 
of  the  Dutch  Republic'  In  vol.  i.  p.  79,  it  is  thus  stated : 
'  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Anabaptist  delusion  was  so  ridicu- 
lous and  so  loathsome  as  to  palliate,  or  at  least  to  render  intelli- 
gible the  wrath  with  which  they  were  regarded  by  all  parties. 
The  turbulence  of  the  sect  was  alarming  to  constituted  authori- 
ties :  its  bestiality  disgraceful  to  the  cause  of  religious  reforma- 
tion. The  leaders  were  among  the  most  depraved  of  human 
creatures,  as  much  distinguished  for  licentiousness,  blasphemy, 
and  cruelty,  as  their  followers  for  grovelling  superstition.  The 
evil  spirit  driven  out  of  Luther,  seemed,  in  orthodox  eyes,  to 
have  taken  possession  of  a  herd  of  swine.  The  Germans, 
Munzer  and  Hoffman,  had  been  succeeded  as  chief  prophet  by  a 
Dutch  broker  named  John  Matthiessen,  of  Harlem ;  who  an- 
nounced himself  as  Enoch.  Chief  of  this  man's  disciples  was 
the  notorious  John  Bockholdt,  of  Leyden.  Under  the  govern- 
ment of  this  prophet,  the  Anabaptists  mastered  the  city  of 
Munster.    Here  they  confiscated  property,  plundered  churches, 

violated  females,  murdered  men "' 

"  Hold  ! "  exclaimed  Squire  Tanner.  "  Mr.  Graves  says  that 
the  Christian  church  must  prove  its  identity  with  the  church 
at  Jerusalem,  and  to  have  been  so  acknowledged  in  the  Apos- 
tolic period,  and  to  have  been  in  existence  in  all  subsequent  ages, 
and  free  of  the  blood  of  the  saints  (Great  Iron  Wheel,  p.  28). 


3(2  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

What  absurdity  to  claim  this  herd  of  swine,  as  Motley  says 
they  were  considered,  as  a  Gospel  church  !  Go  on,  Mr.  Halley  : 
I  can  expect  anything,  however  monstrous,  after  this." 

"'Murdered  men  who  refused  to  join  their  gang,  and,  in 
brief,  practised  all  the  enormities  which  humanity  alone  can  con- 
ceive or  perpetrate.  The  prophet  proclaimed  himself  king  of 
Zion,  and  sent  out  apostles  to  preach  his  doctrines  in  Germany 
and  the  Netherlands.  Polygamy  being  a  leading  article  of  the 
system,  he  exemplified  the  principle  by  marrying  four  tee7i  wives! 
.Of  these  the  beautiful  widow  of  Matthiessen  was  chief,  and  was 
called  the  Queen  of  Zion,  and  wore  a  golden  crown.  The 
prophet  made  many  fruitless  efforts  to  seize  Amsterdam  and 
Leyden.  The  armed  invasion  of  the  Anabaptists  was  repulsed, 
but  their  contagious  madness  spread.  The  plague  broke  forth 
in  Amsterdam.  On  a  cold  winter's  night  (February,  1535) 
seven  men  and  five  women,  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost  ( !  ?  ), 
threw  off  their  clothes,  and  rushed  naked  and  raving  through 
the  streets,  shrieking,  Woe,  woe,  woe !  The  wrath  of  God  !  the 
wrath  of  God  !  When  arrested,  they  obstinately  refused  to  put 
on  their  clothing.  '  We  are/  they  observed,  '  the  naked 
truth! '" 

"  I  am  sick — soul-sick  ! "  interrupted  Elder  Clayton.  "  I  am 
ashamed  that  I  ever  bore  the  name  of  Baptist ! " 

"The  guilt  lies  not  there,"  replied  Halley;  "but  in  claiming 
such  infuriated  demons,  and  low,  debased  mortals  as  the  pure 
church  of  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus.  In  that  is  guilt,  and 
should  be  shame  !  But  there  is  more  and  abundant  testimony 
on  this  point.  Banke,  another  secular  historian,  gives  a  similar 
account  of  this  fanatical  sect.  Mosheim,  Ilase,  and  DAubigne, 
confirm  all  these  statements  and  add  much  more.  Now,  Elder 
Mason,  do  you  still  persist  in  the  claim  that,  through  them,  you 
trace  the  pure  church  'after  the  model  set  up  by  Christ  him- 
self?' "■ 

"No,  I  persist  in  nothing  of  the  kind !   And  if  that  evidence 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  373 

be  true  which  you  have  read,  I  have  been  most  grossly  deceived. 
I  cannot  make  it  seem  possible,  that  Mr.  Graves,  or  any  other 
leader  in  our  denomination,  would  dare,  in  the  face  of  such 
historical  testimony,  to  persist  in  such  a  claim  for  a  moment; 
or,  to  use  his  own  words :  '  thus  to  abuse  human  reason  and 
divine  revelation,  and  address  mankind  as  a  race  of  idiots!' 
And  it  is  still  more  astounding,  if  true,  that  he   sometimes 
claims  them,  and  sometimes  rejects  them,  to  suit  the  occasion  !" 
"  To  satisfy  yourself  that  he  does  reject  them,  and  that,  too, 
in  the  most  indignant  terms,  you  have  only  to  refer  to  the  pas- 
sages quoted,  and  to  the  works  cited  a  few  moments  since  on 
that  point.     And  then  again,  on  the  other  hand,  that  he  does 
claim  them,  I  refer  you  to  Great  Iron  Wheel,  p.  568,  and  to 
Theodosia  Ernest,  vol.  i.  p.  172,  which  I  have  just  cited,  and 
also  vol.  ii.  p.  418  :  '  Luther  had  no  great  objections  to  the 
Baptists  in  his  early  efforts.     He  encouraged  the  Munzer  of 
notoriety,  who  was  a  Baptist  minister  I '     Now  remember  that 
this  very  Munzer  was  one  of  the  first  leaders  of  this  infuriated 
gang.     Says  John  Lord,  the  historian :    l  Many  pretended  to 
special  divine  illumination  —  the  great  central  principle  of  all 
fanaticism.     Among  these  was  Thomas  Munzer,  of  Zwickau, 
mystical,  ignorant,  and  conceited.'     Says  D'Aubigne,  vol.  iii. 
p.  56  :  '  And  another  of  the  initiated,  by  name  Thomas  Munzer, 
a  man  of  fanatical  turn  of  mind,  gave  to  the  new  sect  (Anabap- 
tists) a  regular  organization.'     Again,  p.  208 :  'Melanchthon 
wrote  — We  are  here  in  imminent  danger.     If  Munzer  be  suc- 
cessful, it  is  all  over  with  us ;  unless  Christ  should  appear  for 
our  deliverance.     Munzer  s  jirogrcss  is  marked  by  more  than 
Scythian  cruelty.     His  threats  are  more  dreadful  than  I  can 
tell   you.'     Dr.  Murdock,  speaking  of  the  Anabaptists,  says : 
'  The  most  prominent  of  these  fanatics  were  Thomas  Munzer 
and  one  Pfeiffer.'    So  testify  Mosheim,  Hasc,  Ranke,  and  other 
historians.     Who  now  will  step  into  the  breach  and  attempt  to 
reconcile  these  counter-claims,  and  to  harmonize  these  conflict- 
32 


374  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

ing  statements  of  Brother  Graves  ?  What  Baptist  brother  will 
now  stand  up  and  claim  these  fanatics  as  his  ancestors  to  estab- 
lish a  '  regular  succession,'  and  then  immediately  thereafter 
denounce  them  as  aliens,  and  take  the  safer  and  more  tenable 
ground  that  he  sprang  from  the  Independents  of  Britain  ? 

"  Brother  Mason  retires  from  the  field  of  controversy ;  shall 
we  also  suspend  the  investigation,  or  shall  we  continue  to  ex- 
amine the  claims  of  friend  Graves  ?  The  positions  taken,  and 
points  urged  thus  far  by  Elder  Mason,  are  essentially  those  of 
Mr.  Graves  when  engaged  in  a  like  undertaking — establishing 
an  '  apostolic  succession.'    Shall  we  then  go  on  ?"  asked  Halley. 

"Yes!  yes!"  was  the  hearty  and  ready  response  from  all 
parts  of  the  room. 

"  Very  well,  then,  we  will  proceed.  The  next  claim  that 
friend  Graves  urges,  is,  that  those  who  were  called  Anabaptists, 
and  in  later  times,  Mennonites,  were  the  original  Waldenses. 
To  prove  this,  he  refers  to  a  report  from  Dr.  Ypeig,  and  Dr. 
J.  J.  Durmont,  who  were  appointed  by  the  king  of  Holland  to 
examine  into  the  origin  and  history  of  the  Dutch  Baptists.  But 
before  referring  more  particularly  to  that  report,  I  wish  to  call 
your  attention  once  again  to  the  character  of  the  community  wc 
have  now  reached;  and  will  do  it  in  the  words  of  Kohlrausch, 
the  great  German  historian,  in  his  History  of  Germany,  p.  272  : 
'  Everywhere,  as  in  all  such  scenes  of  fanaticism,  the  most  li- 
centious acts  were  committed,  and  passions,  the  most  violent 
and  brutal,  raged  throughout  the  city  (Munster).  Under  the 
sanction  of  their  creed  of  Christian  liberty,  each  man  was  au- 
thorized to  take  to  himself  several  wives.'  Now  (in  Great  Iron 
"Wheel,  p.  5G9),  Graves  says,  that  these  men  reported  'Ana- 
baptists, and  in  later  times  (called)  Mennonites,  have  descended 
from  the  tolerably  pure  evangelical  "Waldenses.'  Mr.  Graves 
makes  a  somewhat  less  qualified  statement  than  that  in  Theo- 
dosia  Ernest  (vol.  i.  p.  178) ;  and  adds  :  '  The  Baptists  may  be 
considered  as  the  only  Christian  community  which  has  stood 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  375 

since  the  Apostles ;  and  as  a  Christian  society  which  has  pre- 
served pure  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  in  all  ages.' " 

"  I  would  call  attention  to  that  quotation  from  the  report  of 
Drs.  Ypeig  and  Durmont,"  said  Anna.  "  They  say  the  Men- 
nonites  were  descended  from  the  ' tolerably pure'  evangelical 
Waldenses —  what  does  that  mean  ?  Tolerably  pure!  Does  it 
not  imply  that  there  was  a  community  of  Waldenses  more  pure 
from  which  they  were  not  descended  ?  I  would  like  to  know 
what  the  points  of  difference  are  between  the  l  tolerably  pure' 
and  the  pure  Waldenses.     Can  you  tell  us,  Mr.  Halley  ?  " 

"  We  shall  find/'  replied  Halley,  "  that  the  '  tolerably  pure ' 
were  that  sect  led  off  from  them,  by  one  Peter  de  Bruys,  in  the 
twelfth  century,  who  taught  that  one  must  not  only  believe, 
but  also  work  out  his  own  salvation  by  good  works,  alms,  deeds, 
etc.  But  infants  were  incapable  of  thus  believing  and  working 
out  their  own  salvation,  and  so  must  be  lost;  therefore  they 
should  not  be  baptized.  The  old  Waldenses — pure  Waldenses 
— believed  that  infants  were  saved  through  the  blood  of  Christ, 
and  therefore  advocated  and  practised  infant  baptism.  And  I 
am  now  prepared  to  show,  that,  while  the  Dutch  Baptists  may 
have  descended  in  an  indirect  line  from  the  '  tolerably  pure 
evangelical  Waldenses,' — Petrobrusians,  who  had  their  origin  in 
Peter  de  Bruys  in  the  twelfth  century,  we,  on  the  other  hand, 
are  descended  in  a  direct  line  from  the  pure  evangelical  Wal- 
denses, who  date  back  to  the  very  time  of  the  Apostles ;  for 
these  Waldenses,  in  the  time  of  the  Reformation,  readily  united 
with  and  became  absorbed  in  the  reformed  churches. 

"  But  first  let  us  examine  the  historical  evidences  regarding 
the  origin,  age,  and  faith  of  the  Waldenses.  Dr.  Gilly,  in  his 
Waldensian  Besearches,  has  fully  established  the  fact,  that 
these  are  the  primitive  apostolic  churches,  having  the  genuine 
and  unbroken  succession  from  the  time  of  the  Apostles.  This 
also  Dr.  Allix,  in  his  History  of  the  Waldenses,  has  confirmed. 
They  say  that  the  Waldenses  are  no  followers  of  a  reformer. 


376  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

They  are  no  dissenters  from  Romanism ;  but  Rome  went  off 
from  them.  Says  Dr.  Gilly:  'These  Alpine  tribes  embraced 
the  Gospel  as  it  was  first  announced  to  them  in  all  its  apostolic 
purity.  And  they  continued  true  to  it  in  the  midst  of  almost 
general  apostacy/  This  is  proved  by  the  most  satisfactory  and 
reliable  documents  of  the  Waldenses  themselves.  Says  the 
eminent  and  learned  Swiss  reformer  —  the  colleague  and  suc- 
cessor of  Calvin  —  Theodore  Beza  :  '  As  for  the  Waldenses, 
give  me  leave  to  call  them  the  very  seed  of  the  primitive  and 
pure  church,  being  those  who  have  been  so  upheld  by  the  pro- 
vidence of  God,  that  neither  these  numberless  storms  and  tem- 
pests by  which  the  whole  Christian  world  have  been  shaken, 
nor  those  horrible  persecutions  which  have  been  so  directly 
raised  against  them,  have  been  able  to  prevail  upon  them  to 
yield  a  voluntary  submission  to  the  Roman  tyranny  and  idolatry ' 
(See  Beza's  Icones,  Vir.  Doct.). 

"  Sir  James  Mackintosh  states  :  '  With  the  daicn  of  history 
we  discover  some  simple  Christians  in  the  valleys  of  the  Alps, 
where  they  still  (about  1800)  exist  under  the  name  of  the 
Vaudois,  who  by  the  light  of  the  New  Testament,  saw  the  ex- 
traordinary contrast  between  the  purity  of  the  primitive  times 
and  the  vices  of  the  gorgeous  and  imperial  hierarchy  which 
surrounded  them.'  Says  Dr.  Samuel  Miller  in  an  Introductory 
Letter  to  a  late  edition  of  Perrin's  History  of  the  Old  Wal- 
denses :  '  Our  anti-pcdobaptist  brethren  also  lay  claim  to  the 
Waldenses  as  the  advocates  of  their  creed,  both  as  to  the  sub- 
jects and  the  mode  of  baptism.  The  most  cursory  perusal  of 
the  ensuing  volume  will  convince  every  impartial  reader  that 
there  is  no  foundation  whatever  for  this  claim.  But  there  is 
one  notorious,  unquestionable  fact,  which  is  sufficient,  of  itself, 
to  refute  the  allegation,  both  of  Prelatists  and  anti-pedobap- 
tists,  in  regard  to  the  Waldenses;  and  that  is,  that  after  the 
Reformation  on  the  Continent  of  Europe,  and  the  organization 
of  the  Reformed  churches,  on  the  Presbyterian  plan,  in  France, 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  oil 

Switzerland,  Germany,  <te.,  the  Waldenses  acknowledged  them 
as  true  churches;  held  communion  with  them;  received  ministers 
from  them,  and  in  every  variety  of  way,  manifested  that  they 
recognized  their  regular  Christian  character,  and  the  validity 
of  their  ministry.  This,  surely,  could  never  have  been  done, 
if  the  Waldenses  had  maintained  the  divine  right  of  Prelacy, 
or  the  obligation  of  the  anti-pedobaptist  system/ 

"Robert  Baird,  D.  D.,  in  his  'History  of  the  Waldenses  and 
Protestanism  in  Italy,'  gives  us  a  clear  insight  into  their  his- 
tory, origin,  and  faith.  He  travelled  extensively  among  them, 
and  gathered  his  information  not  only  from  their  own  works 
and  histories,  but  also  from  living  witnesses  and  traditions 
handed  down  from  time  immemorial.  He  says  on  p.  288, '  Let 
it  be  observed,  then,  that  the  Waldenses  maintain,  and  have 
done  so  from  the  date  of  their  earliest  existing  histories,  that 
their  ancestors  inhabited  the  country  which  they  now  inhabit, 
and  held  the  faith  which  they  mow  hold  since  the  days  of  the 
Apostles.  They  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  Gospel  was  preached 
to  their  forefathers  in  those  valleys  by  Christian  missionaries 
from  Rome,  or  other  cities  in  Italy,  where  it  had  gained  exten- 
sive ground;  or  that  it  was  introduced  by  those  who  fled  from 
the  plain  country,  perhaps  some  of  them  from  Rome  itself,  or 
the  neighborhood  thereof,  during  the  persecutions  under  the 
Roman  emperors.' 

'•Again,  p.  290 :  'We  will  only  add  at  present,  that  in  one 
of  their  manuscripts,  dated  1587  (during  the  progress  of  the 
Reformation),  and  deposited  in  the  library  of  the  University 
of  Cambridge,  in  England,  the  cpiestion  is  put,  At  what  time 
have  the  religion  and  state  been  preached  in  the  valleys  ?  The 
answer  is,  about  500  years,  as  can  be  collected  from  many  his- 
tories; but  according  to  the  belief  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
valleys,  it  has  been  from  time  immemorial;  and  from  father  to 
son  since  the  time  of  the  Apostles'  (See  Moreland's  History  of 
the  Evangelical  Churches,  etc.  p.  29.)    '  The  replies,'  continues 

DO  * 


378  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

Dr.  Baird,  '  of  various  pastors  to  whom  we  ourselves  have  ad- 
dressed similar  questions,  have  invariably  been  to  the  same 
effect.' 

"And  Dr.  Baird  says  again,  p.  331 :  'We  have  said  enough 
in  relation  to  the  antiquity  of  the  Waldenses,  to  establish  to 
a  reasonable  degree,  the  position  that  Christianit}'  was  early 
planted  in  the  valley  which  they  now  occupy,  lying  between  the 
north  part  of  Italy  and  the  south  of  France,  in  which  countries 
we  have  indubitable  proof  that  the  truth  was  long  maintained 
after  it  had  been  abandoned  in  almost  all  the  rest  part  of  Chris- 
tendom. Nothing  can  be  more  probable  than  that  they  adhered 
to  the  pure  Gospel,  which  they  had  either  heard  from  the  Apos- 
tles themselves,  or  from  very  early  Christian  missionaries.  This 
supposition  is  abundantly  sustained  by  the  testimony  of  both 
the  friends  and  the  enemies  of  the  people.'  In  Sir  James  More- 
land's  History  of  the  Churches  of  Piedmont,  p.  228,  is  given 
their  petition  to  their  prince,  the  Duke  of  Savoy,  in  1559 : 
'  This  religion  which  we  profess  is  not  only  ours,  nor  has  it  been 
invented  of  late  years,  as  has  been  most  falsely  reported.  It  is 
the  religion  of  our  fathers,  of  our  grandfathers,  and  yet  other 
more  ancient  predecessors  of  ours,  and  of  the  blessed  martyrs, 
confessors,  prophets,  and  Apostles.  And  if  any  can  prove  to 
the  contrary,  we  are  ready  to  subscribe  and  yield  thereto.' 

"Claudius  Seissel,  the  Roman  Archbishop  of  Turin,  testified 
in  the  year  1500  :  '  That  the  Yaudois  sect  originated  with  one 
Lyon,  a  devout  man  of  the  days  of  Constantine  the  Great'  (in 
the  early  part  of  the  fourth  century). 

"Cassini,  an  Italian  priest,  testified  that  he  had  found  it 
handed  down  by  tradition,  that  the  Yaudois  were  as  ancient  as 
the  Christian  church. 

"  Simon  de  Mont/ort-,  an  unrelenting  persecutor  of  the  Wal- 
denses,  says,  in  his  book  entitled  '  The  Exploits  of  Montfort,' 
which  was  written  in  the  year  1218  :  '  The  city  of  Thoulouse 
has  never  been  clear  of  this  detestable  pestilence  of  the  Wal- 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  379 

denses.'  Eckbert,  a  Roman  author  who  flourished  A.  D.  1160, 
says :  '  These  secluded  men  have  many  ages,  in  their  lurking 
places,  corrupted. the  Christian  faith  of  simple  men/  A  manu- 
script is  mentioned  by  Dr.  Gilly,  dated  A.  D.  1100,  which  hav- 
ing quoted  the  doctrines  of  the  Waldenses,  adds  :  '  They  have 
maintained  these  doctrines  from  time  immemorial,  in  continual 
descent  from  father  to  son,  even  from  the  times  of  the  Apostles.' 
"Claude,  a  learned  and  pious  Spaniard,  and  Bishop  of  Turin, 
within  whose  diocese  the  "Waldenses  nominally  were,  was  in  the 
habit  of  calling  them  (A.D.  840),  '  That  new  sect/  (See  Gilly, 
p.  6.)  Also  in  the  year  840,  Jonas,  Bishop  of  Orleans,  in  a 
work  on  '  Images,'  dedicated  to  King  Charles  the  Bald,  makes 
mention  of  the  Italian  churches,  and  accuses  them  of  hetero- 
doxy because  they  refused  to  worship  images,  and  because  of 
their  separation  from  what  he  called  the  Catholic  Unity.  It  is 
evident  he  alluded  to  the  Waldenses,  for  he  raves  at  the  cele- 
brated Claude,  Bishop  of  Turin,  in  whose  diocese  they  were, 
on  account  of  his  encouraging  them  in  the  rejection  of  images. 
(See  the  Bibl.  Patr.  tome  iv.  533  and  594.)  Ho  also  (see  same 
work,  tome  xiii.  p.  299)  Reinerius  (A.D.  1250),  an  apostate 
Waldensian,  whose  zeal  and  cruelty  afterward  raised  him  to  the 
post  of  Inquisitor,  has  left  this  record  of  his  former  friends. 
He  says  :  '  They  are  the  most  pernicious  of  all  sects,  for  these 
three  reasons.  I.  Because  they  are  the  most  ancient,  being 
more  ancient  than  the  Manichasians  and  Arians  of  the  fourth 
century.  They,  according  to  some,  derive  their  descent  from 
Pope  Sylvester,  who  lived  in  335 ;  according  to  others,  from 
the  time  of  the  Apostles.  II.  Because  they  were  spread  over 
all  countries,  and  existed  in  immense  numbers,  particularly  in 
the  north  of  Italy  and  the  south  of  France.  III.  Because 
they  have  the  character  of  being  pious  and  virtuous,  because 
they  believe  in  all  the  articles  of  the  Apostles'  creed,  and  are 
guilty  of  no  other  crime  than  that  of  blasphemy  against  the 
Boman  church  and  clergy.' 


880  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

"Abbot  St.  Bernard  says:  'There  is  a  sect  which  calls  itself 
after  no  man's  name,  which  affects  to  be  in  the  direct  line  of 
apostolical  succession;  and  rustic  and  unlearned  though  it  is,  it 
contends  that  we  (Romanists)  are  in  the  wrong,  and  that  it 
alone  is  in  the  right.'  This  was  written  in  1140.  Here,  then, 
is  evidence  of  an  immense  population  opposed  to  Rome,  and 
holding  the  same  doctrines  with  Protestants,  who  yet  acknow- 
ledge no  leader — no  founder  whose  memory  they  held  in  honor, 
and  to  whose  particular  tenets  they  subscribed,  as  did  all  other 
sects,  such  as  Arians,  Paulicans,  Petrobrusians,  etc. 

"  This  reminds  me,  too,  that  this  extraordinary  statement  of 
the  Romanist  St.  Bernard,  was  made  about  the  time  that  Peter 
de  Bruys  led  off  a  small  fraction  of  the  Waldenses,  and  esta- 
blished the  first  society  that  can  be  found  on  the  pages  of  his- 
tory particularly  allied  to  the  Baptist  faith  of  the  present  day. 
The  Petrobrusians  were  the  very  first  sect  of  which  we  have 
any  knowledge  which  used  baptism  at  all,  and  at  the  same 
time  denied  it  to  infants.  This  fact  no  one,  conversant  with 
the  history  of  the  church,  can  deny.  Says  Dr.  Woods  (see 
Infant  Baptism,  p.  132)  :  '  I  shall  only  add  the  remark  of  Dr. 
"Wall,  that  the  first  body  of  men  toe  read  of  that  denied  baptism 
to  infants,  were  the  Petrobrusians,  A.  D.  1150.' " 

"What  evidence  have  you  that  the  Waldenses  believed  in 
and  practised  infant  baptism  ?  "  asked  Anna. 

"  The  evidence,"  replied  Hallcy,  "  is  abundant  and  reliable 
from  both  the  friends  and  enemies  of  this  simple  people.  John 
JSckius,  the  great  opponent  of  Luther,  reproached  him  that  he 
had  only  renewed  the  heresies  of  the  Waldenses  and  Albi- 
genscs,  of  Wickliff,  and  of  John  Huss,  which  had  been  long 
ago  condemned. 

"  Bellarmine  asserts  that  the  identical  belief  which  was  pub- 
licly taught  and  professed  in  the  valleys  of  Piedmont,  in  the 
year  820  and  onwards,  was  the  very  same  which  is  at  this  day 
professed  and  owned  by  the  Reformed  churches  (Leger,  part  i. 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       381 

p.  174).  Genebrard,  a  Benedictine  monk,  born  in  1537,  in  a 
third  book  of  bis  Chronicles,  calls  the  doctrine  of  Claude  and 
his  followers,  in  rejecting  the  traditions  of  Rome,  Calvinists 
doctrine ;  and  denominates  the  Waldenses  Calvinists. 

"  Says  Dr.  Samuel  Miller  :  'Wm.  Jones,  an  eminent  Baptist, 
in  his  "  History  of  the  Waldenses,"  has  so  mutilated  and  per- 
verted the  plainest  documents  of  those  pious  witnesses  of  the 
truth,  in  order  to  make  them  speak  the  language  of  anti-pedo- 
baptists,  as  to  place  his  character  as  an  honest  historian  in  a 
most  undesirable  position.'  Still  there  is  evidence  to  be  found 
in  his  work  which  goes  to  prove  their  creed  the  same  as  that 
of  the  Reformed  and  Calvinistic  churches  (see  vol.  ii.  p.  87)  : 
'Lindanus,  a  Roman  Catholic  bishop  of  the  see  of  Ghent,  who 
wrote  in  defence  of  the  tenets  of  the  church  of  Rome,  about 
the  year  1560,  represents  John  Calvin  as  the  inheritor  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  Waldenses.  Mezeray,  the  learned  historiogra- 
pher of  France,  in  his  Abridgment  of  Chronology,  speaking  of 
the  Waldenses,  says :  "  They  held  nearly  the  same  opinions  as 
those  who  are  now  called  Calvinists."  Gualter,  a  Jesuitical 
monk,  in  his  chronological  tables,  drew  up  a  catalogue  consist- 
ing of  twenty-seven  particulars,  in  which  he  shows  that  the 
principles  of  the  Waldenses,  and  those  of  the  Calvinists,  coin- 
cided with  each  other.'  Let  us  now  produce  direct  testimony. 
In  the  University  of  Geneva  there  is  a  Waldensian  manuscript, 
bearing  the  date  of  1100,  which  contains  a  complete  outline  of 
their  faith.  Dr.  Gilly  took  a  fac-simile  copy  of  it,  and  it  is  to 
be  found  in  his  Waldensian  Researches,  p.  139.  It  is  also 
found  in  Perrin's  History  of  Waldenses.  By  it,  as  from  other 
sources,  we  learn  that  their  faith  was  pure  and  orthodox.  They 
held  only  to  two  sacraments  —  The  Lord's  Supper,  in  which 
they  used  both  bread  and  wine,  and  of  which  each  Christian 
received,  and  Baptism,  by  pure  water  only;  and  repelled  it  as 
a  grievous  slander  which  Papists  brought  against  them,  that 
they  refused  baptism  to  their  infants.     See  also  Milner's  Eccl. 


8S2  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

History,  and  Sir  Samuel  Moreland's  History  of  Waldenses,  and 
an  Exhibition  of  their  Creeds  and  Confessions;  also,  Dr.  Allix's 
History  of  them. 

"  Here  in  Perrin's  History  of  the  Waldenses,  their  articles 
of  faith  are  given  (lib.  ii.  c.  -i.  p.  81).  They  are  seventeen  in 
number.  I  will  read  the  last :  '  As  to  sacraments,  it  hath  been 
determined  by  the  Holy  Scriptures  that  we  have  but  two  sac- 
ramental signs  or  symbols  which  Christ  Jesus  hath  left  unto  us  : 
the  one  is  Baptism,  the  other  the  Eucharist  or  Lord's  Supper, 
which  we  receive  to  demonstrate  our  perseverance  in  the  faith, 
according  to  the  promise  we  made  in  our  baptism  in  our  infancy, 
as  also  in  remembrance  of  that  great  benefit  which  Jesus 
Christ  hath  conferred  upon  us,  when  he  laid  down  his  life  for 
our  redemption,  cleansing  us  with  his  most  precious  blood.' 
This  is  also  found  in  Dr.  Baird's  work,  p.  896. 

"Did  the  Waldenses  practise  immersion  in  baptism?"  asked 
Elder  Clayton. 

"They  did  not,"  replied  Halley.  "This  might  be  inferred 
from  the  authorities  already  cited,  showing  that  their  faith  and 
forms  of  worship  were  like  those  of  the  Reformed  churches — were 
Cahinistic.  Says  Dr.  Baird,  p.  382  :  '  When  the  rite  of  bap- 
tism is  to  be  administered,  it  immediately  follows  the  sermon. 
The  minister,  after  a  special  prayer  for  the  occasion,  and  an 
address  to  the  parents,  or  those  who  present  the  child,  descends 
from  the  pulpit,  places  his  hands  together,  into  which  some  one 
present  pours  water  from  a  vial  or  small  bottle,  which  he  in 
turn  pours  upon  the  child,  pronouncing  at  the  same  time  its 
name,  and  repeating  the  words  of  the  institution:  "I  baptize 
thee  in  the  name  of  the  Fathei*,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost." 
The  whole  form,  phraseology,  etc.,  is  exactly  like  what  exists  in 
our  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  churches.' 

"  Dr.  Miller  gives  us  a  large  number  of  quotations  from  their 
own  Confessions  of  faith,  and  other  writings  drawn  up  between 
the  twelfth  century  and  the  period  of  the  llefonnation ;  I  will 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  383 

read  a  few  of  them.  '  Baptism,'  say  they,  '  is  administered  in 
a  full  congregation  of  the  faithful  (not  in  a  river  or  pond)  to 
the  end  that  he  that  is  received  into  the  church  may  be  reputed 
and  held  of  all  as  a  Christian  brother,  and  that  all  the  congre- 
gation may  pray  for  him,  that  he  may  be  a  Christian  in  heart, 
as  he  is  outwardly  esteemed  to  be  a  Christian.  And  for  this 
cause  it  is  that  we  present  our  children  in  baptism,  which  ought 
to  be  done  by  those  to  whom  the  children  are  most  nearly 
related,  such  as  their  parents,  or  those  to  whom  God  has  given 
this  charity '  (Apology  of  the  "Waldenses  sent  to  King  Lances- 
laus).  Again,  referring  to  the  superstitious  additions  to  bap- 
tism which  the  Papists  had  introduced,  they  say,  in  an  ancient 
MS.,  dated  1220  (the  "Book  of  Antechrist "),  of  the  Chrism 
—  sign  of  the  cross  —  extreme  unction,  etc.  'But  we  find 
nothing  in  the  Scriptures  touching  such  orders  as  they  pretend, 
but  only  the  custom  of  the  church.  There  is  no  ground  to 
show  that  Christ,  or  his  Apostles,  did  institute  any  such  thing.' 

"In  another  MS.,  of  about  the  same  date,  occurs  this  pas- 
sage under  the  head  of  Dancing :  '  Again,  they  that  dance, 
break  that  promise  and  agreement  which  they  have  made  with 
God  in  baptism,  when  their  god-fathers  promised  for  them  that 
they  shall  renounce  the  devil  and  all  his  works'  (See  Perrin, 
p.  241).  And  in  a  reply  to  a  slander  from  their  Popish  neigh- 
bors, they  say  :  '  Yet,  notwithstanding,  ice  bring  our  children  to 
be  baptized.' 

"  I  will  now  read  a  little  from  Murdoch's  Mosheini  (vol.  iii. 
pp.  200,  201)  :  '  It  is  a  well-known  historic  fact,  that  in  the 
10th  century,  the  genuine  descendants  of  the  old  Waldensians, 
"Wickliffites,  and  Hussites,  who  were  numerous  in  France,  Eng- 
land, Bohemia,  Moravia,  &c,  readily  united  with  the  Lutheran 
and  the  Reformed  communities,  and  at  length  became  absorbed 
in  them,  and  that  very  few,  if  any  of  them,  ever  manifested  a 
preference  for  the  Mennonites,  or  for  any  of  the  anti-pedobap- 
tist  sects  of  that  age.     The  first  Mennonites  were  not  persons 


384  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

who  had  hefore  borne  the  name  of  Waldnsians,  or  who  were 
known  descendants  of  Waldensians ;  nor  did  they  originate 
either  in  or  near  the  countries  where  the  Waldensians  in  that 
age  resided.  And  if  we  attempt  to  trace  the  history  of  that 
grand  peculiarity  of  all  Mennonites,  their  confining  baptism  to 
adult  believers,  and  rejecting  infant  baptisms  altogether,  we 
shall  find,  that  at  the  time  Menno  first  embraced  it,  it  existed 
among  the  numerous  German  Anabaptists,  but  not  among  the 
"Waldenses  of  France,  or  Bohemia,  who  were  then  universally 
believers  in  infant  baptism,  and  were  in  fraternal  communion 
with  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed  churches.  These  Waldensian 
Pedobaptists,  moreover,  declared  that  they  held  the  same 
belief  which  their  fathers  had  maintained  for  several  centuries, 
and  they  appealed  to  their  old  books  to  make  good  their  asser- 
tions. There  were  indeed  various  mystical  sects,  tinctured  more 
or  less  with  Manichsean  views,  in  the  12th  and  following 
centuries,  who  rejected  all  water  baptism,  on  much  the  same 
grounds  as  the  Quakers  still  do,  and  some  of  these  assailed 
infant  baptism  especially,  as  being  peculiarly  unsuitable  and 
absurd.  There  is  also  pretty  good  evidence  that  early  in  the 
12th  century,  Peter  dc  Bruys,  and  his  successor  Henry,  with 
their  followers,  the  Petrobrusians  and  Henricans,  did  at  first 
reject  infant  baptism  without  discarding  all  baptism.  But  soon 
after  Peter  Waldo  arose,  and  we  hear  no  more  of  the  Petro- 
brusians and  Henricans.  They  probably  gave  up  their  opposi- 
tion to  infant  baptism.' 

"  Drs.  Baird,  Faber,  and  Blair,  further  assure  us  of  the 
great  antiquity  of  these  simple  people  —  handing  down  their 
faith  in  its  purity  and  simplicity,  even  from  the  days  of  the 
Apostles — and,  moreover,  add  that  they  were  Pedobaptists,  and 
held  to,  and  practised,  infant  baptism.  More  evidence  might 
be  adduced,  but  certainly  no  more  could  be  desired.  It  has 
been  made  doubly  certain.  The  testimony  of  the  Waldenses 
themselves  at  the  present  time,  and  all  along  back,  up  through 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       385 

many  generations,  even  before  the  12th  century,  declare  infant 
baptism  to  have  been  their  practice  from  the  very  times  of  the 
Apostles;  also  we  have  cited  to  you  the  testimony  of  their 
bitterest  enemies  in  all  ages,  which  in  harmony  with  their  own 
statements  assures  us  of  their  great  antiquity,  and  the  uni- 
formity of  their  faith.  Do  you  think  anything  more  is  needed 
to  make  assurance  doubly  sure?" 

"  No,  certainly  not ! "  exclaimed  Squire  Tanner ;  "  that  point 
was  made  out  long  ago.  Nothing  more  was  necessary.  And 
now  having  added  their  own  testimony  to  what  was  already 
evident,  every  doubt  disappears,  and  every  possibility  of  conjec- 
ture. They  unquestionably  knew  what  they  believed  and  what 
the  faith  of  their  ancestors  was,  and  that,  too,  better  than  their 
neighbors  or  their  enemies  —  they  must  be  acknowledged  com- 
petent witnesses  in  the  case." 

"  Now  call  to  mind,"  continued  Halley,  "  that  we  proved 
yesterday  that  all  the  churches  of  the  primitive  Christians, 
down  through  four  centuries,  were  Pedobaptist  churches ;  and 
that  the  writers  in  them,  the  church  fathers,  declare  that  infant 
baptism  was  not  only  universally  practised,  but  also  that  it  was 
ordered  of  the  Apostles.  And  then  recollect  that  we  to-day 
began  at  the  last  link  in  the  chain — the  Reformed  Pedobaptist 
churches  of  this  age — and  have  gone  backward  with  a  connec- 
tion of  incontrovertible  historic  evidence,  showing  that  the  only 
pure  Gospel  church  which  has  kept  an  unbroken  descent  from 
the  Apostles,  is  now,  and  always  has  been,  a  Pedobaptist  church. 
Who  then,  if  any,  need  or  can  boast  of  their  ancestry  ?  Does 
it  appear  now  that  infant  baptism  is  a  corruption  of  the  Romish 
church  ?  Friend  Graves  says  :  '  We  may  well  be  proud  to  be 
able  to  claim  these  (Waldenses)  as  our  brethren.'  He  would 
be  proud,  if  he  were  able,  but  alas  !  for  him  and  his  statements, 
all  history  is  against  him.  It  will  require  another  volume  from 
Brother  Graves  to  clear  up  the  labyrinthine  mysteries  in  which 
he  seems  to  have  involved  himself." 
33  z 


386  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

"  There  are  some  other  sects,"  said  Anna,  "  which  Mr.  Graves 
mentions  in  his  works,  that  I  would  like  to  inquire  after." 

"Will  you  give  us  their  names,  Miss  Anna?" 

"They  are  the  Albigenses,  Paulicans,  Cathari  or  Puritans, 
Novationists,  and  Donatists." 

"  First,  then,  the  Albigenses,"  continued  Halley,  "  that  was 
a  general  name  given  to  all  French  heretics,  and  included  a 
number  of  widely  differing  sects,  and  among  the  rest  the  Wal- 
denses.  Graves  says  (The.  E.  ii.  p.  464)  :  that  <  These  800,000 
Albigenses  were  Baptists  ! '  This  is  a  very  modest  claim,  and 
sounds  very  much  as  it  would  for  any  one  to  assert  that  all  in 
the  Reformed  Pedobaptist  churches  are  Quakers ! 

"  Peter  Sarnensis,  a  writer  of  that  age  (1209),  divides  the 
Albigenses  into  various  sects;  and  says  (c.  ii.  p.  8)  that  the 
Waldenses  were  the  best  among  them.  Those  sects  called  Ca- 
thari, Publicani  or  Pauliciani,  and  Bulgari,  were  also  included. 
These  were  called  Albigenses  in  a  limited  sense.  Hence,  it 
comprehended  three  distinct  sects  by  name,  yet  all  three  very 
nearly  alike  in  their  faith  and  doctrines. 

"  The  Paulicians  in  France  were  called  the  Albigenses;  in 
Italy,  the  Cathari  and  Paterini;  and  by  the  Greeks,  Manichajans 
(See  Mosheim,  vol.  ii.  pp.  103,  and  201).  Let  us  examine 
their  creed,  which  is  the  same  or  similar  to  that  professed  by 
all  those  sects  which  are  denominated  Gnostics.  Their  doctrines 
were  (Mosheim,  vol.  ii.  p.  104)  :  I.  '  They  denied  that  this 
lower  and  visible  world  was  created  by  the  Supreme  God,  etc. 
II.  They  contemned  the  Virgin  Mary,  etc.  III.  They  did  not 
celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper.  IV.  They  loaded  the  Cross  with 
contumely.  V.  They  rejected  the  books  composing  the  Old 
Testament.  VI.  They  excluded  presbyters  or  elders  from  the 
administration  of  the  church.'" 

"  There  is  no  Baptist  doctrine  there,  as  I  can  perceive,"  said 
Elder  Clayton. 

"  No,"  replied  Halley;  "  if  they  had  the  l grand  distinuishing 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  387 

peculiarities '  of  our  Baptist  brethren,  Mosheim  overlooks  it  in 
the  above  paragraph.  Yet,  lest  some  Baptist,  like  Brother 
Graves,  whose  zeal  runs  away  with  his  modesty;  or  perhaps  I 
should  say,  whose  sectarian  spirit  blunts  his  moral  sensibilities, 
so  that  he  cannot  readily  distinguish  between  truth  and  error — 
lest  this  should  occur,  I  will  cite  to  you  Dr.  Hase,  who  ascribes 
the  same  tenets  and  origin  to  the  Cathari  and  Paulicans  (or 
Paulicians),  and  adds  they  did  not  use  bajJtism  at  all.  And  the 
same  is  implied  by  what  Mosheim  says  in  another  paragraph, 
that  they  rejected  all  EXTERNAL  FORMS.'  These  were  the 
model  and  ancestral  Baptists  claimed  by  Brother  Graves." 

A  half-suppressed  laugh  passed  round  the  room,  accompanied 
by  exclamations  :  "  Is  it  possible  !  Model  Baptists,  indeed ! 
"Why,  they  were  Quakers  ! "  etc. 

"  Brother  Graves  adds  a  link  or  rather  a  name  more  in  '  Theo- 
dosia '  (vol.  ii.  p.  465),"  continued  Halley.  "  He  says,  '  the 
Paternities  denounced  infant  baptism,  and  baptized  by  immer- 
sion, as  indeed  all  parties  did  at  that  time.  They  were  called 
Paternines  from  the  patience  with  which  they  suffered  for  the 
cause  of  Christ.  He  refers  to  Robinson's  History  of  Baptists, 
pp.  428—430.  Unfortunately  for  Mr.  Graves'  statement,  I 
have  the  work  here ;  and  he  on  those  pages  is  speaking  of  some 
individuals  in  1690,  whereas  Mr.  Graves  is  speaking  of  the  year 
750 ;  and  moreover,  there  is  not  a  word  said  there  about  the 
Paternines ;  and  what  is  still  more  strange,  in  glancing  over 
the  work,  I  have  not  seen  the  name  mentioned  at  all!  I  have 
found  it  neither  in  the  table  of  contents,  nor  in  the  body  of 
the  work!" 

"  Is  not  that  work  considered  good  authority  ?  "  asked  Anna. 

"  I  will  answer  your  question  by  referring  you  to  Dr.  Woods 
on  Infant  Baptism  (2d  ed.,  p.  140) ;  from  which  I  will  epiote  a 
few  sentences.  '  In  reference  to  one  of  the  writers  to  whom  I 
have  alluded,  namely,  R.  Robinson,  whose  History  of  Baptism 
is  often  referred  to  as  good  authority  by  the  Baptists  of  Ame- 


388  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

rica,  being  unwilling  to  trust  my  own  judgment  merely,  I  have 
requested  my  respected  colleague,  the  Rev.  Moses  Stuart,  to 
favor  me  with  his  views.  In  compliance  with  my  request  he 
has  sent  me  the  following  letter,  with  liberty  to  insert  it  in  a 
note.'  I  will  quote  a  few  passages  from  the  letter.  '  Having 
so  often  heard  the  book  spoken  highly  of,  and  knowing  some- 
thing of  Mr.  Robinson's  talents  and  character,  I  had  a  great 
curiosity  to  see  it.  I  have  examined  it  on  various  topics,  and 
confess  myself  to  be  greatly  disappointed,  and  not  a  little  dis- 
gusted. There  is  everywhere  in  it,  an  air  of  almost  profane  levity  ; 
which  at  times  breaks  forth  into  the  most  gross  and  palpable 
indecency.  *  *  How  is  it  possible,  that  serious  and  sensible 
men  of  the  Baptist  community  could  have  ever  recommended 
such  a  book  as  this  to  the  public  ?  Withal,  there  is  such  a 
gross  and  palpable  unfairness  in  Robinson's  examination  of  the 
testimony  of  the  Christian  Fathers,  and  such  a  shallow  criticism 
both  on  them  and  on  the  New  Testament,  that  one  may  well 
wonder,  that  this  book  should  meet  with  encouragement  among 
men  of  sobriety  and  good  sense.  There  is,  indeed,  an  appear- 
ance of  a  kind  of  learning  in  the  author;  but  it  is  merely  that 
of  a  literary  gourmand,  who  has  read  everything  curious  and 
entertaining,  and  but  very  little  that  is  solid,  and  has  reasoned 
ami  reflected  still  less  on  what  he  has  read.' 

"  This  answers  your  question,  Miss  Anna,  and  we  will  now 
return  to  the  Paternines,  and  see  what  they  really  were.  Mo- 
sheim  (vol.  ii.  p.  166,  and  n.  23)  says,  '  They  were  the  Mani- 
chasans,  and  Paternines,  and  icas  one  of  the  names  by  which 
the  Paulicians  or  Manichaeans  were  designated  in  Italy,  who 
are  well  known  to  have  migrated  from  Bulgaria  to  Italy  in  this 
age,  and  who  were  the  same  as  were  also  called  Catbari.'  " 

"  We  have  already  learned,  then,  what  their  doctrines  were," 
said  Tanner.  ''These  seem  to  have  been  different  names  for 
essentially  the  same  sect;  and  we  have  been  assured  by  un- 
questionable testimony,  that  they  not  only  rejected  all  baptism, 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       389 

but  also,  all  external  forms  what*  ver!  I  do  not  desire  to  claim 
them,  nor  even  to  acknowledge  them,  among  my  church  an- 
cestors, however  strenuously  Mr.  Graves  may  labor  to  that  end." 

"  You  see,  then,"  said  Halley,  "  how  hard  Mr.  Graves  was 
pushed  for  names  and  connections  in  his  '  regular  apostolic  suc- 
cession.' Here  are  no  less  than  four  of  his  names,  or  sects  — 
Albigenses,  Paulicans,  Cathari  or  Puritans,  and  the  Paternines 
—  all  meaning  the  same  thing,  and  designating  a  sect  or  com- 
munity, which  rejected  oil  baptism.,  all.  external  forms,  and  the 
Old  Testament  Scriptures,  and  doubted  the  ability  of  God  to 
create  this  mundane  sphere.  What  beautiful  immersionists 
they  must  have  been  !  What  pure  doctrines,  forms,  and  dis- 
cipline they  adhered  to,  and  practised  !  What  a  pure  church 
they  were ! 

"  The  difficulty  was,  Mr.  Graves  had  predetermined  himself 
of  apostolical  ancestry;  and  no  matter  what  the  facts  in  the 
case  v:ere,  they  must  all  bend  and  he  so  colored  as  to  put  on  the 
appearance  of  producing  the  required  testimony!  On  p.  467, 
he  jumps  back  from  the  last-mentioned  sects  to  the  year  300, 
and  asserts  that  then  they  were  all  Baptist  churches  except  a 
few  in  Africa;  and  thus  he  completes  his  ancestry,  and  submits 
his  claims  of  heirship  ! 

"  But  we  have  already  shown  that  during  the  first  four  cen- 
turies there  was  not  a  Baptist  church  in  existence  !  And  we 
are  now  ready  to  show  that  there  was  not  one  in  existence  dur- 
ing the  eleven  centuries  succeeding  the  ascension  of  our  Savior! 
The  Xovatians  and  Donatists  were  disposed  of  yesterday,  and 
there  is  only  one  more  community  mentioned  by  Mr.  Graves 
(p.  470,  vol.  ii.),  as  he  says,  'To  complete  our  chain ."  This  is 
added,  I  have  no  doubt,  for  effect,  and  to  give  the  already  ex- 
tended list  of  names  a  more  respectable  appearance.  But  how 
it  would  link  in,  or  terminate  the  chain  of  succession  with  those 
who  did  not  use  baptism  at  all,  even  if  granted  to  be  a  Baptist 
community,  I  respectfully  submit  to  your  judgment." 
33* 


390  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  What  is  the  name  of  that  sect  or  society  ? "  asked  Anna. 
"  I  cannot  recall  any  other  sect." 

"  Mr.  Graves,  being  a  very  modest  man,  does  not  designate 
it  by  any  particular  name,"  replied  Halley.  "  He  only  says 
that  on  examination  he  has  found  them  to  be  Baptist  churches  I" 

"  Do  you  admit  them  to  have  been  Baptist  churches  ?"  asked 
Squire  Tanner. 

"  By  no  means  !  and  I  think  you  will  agree  with  me,  in  view 
of  what  has  already  been  adduced,  when  you  learn  to  whom  he 
makes  reference.  I  will  read  the  passage :  '  John  (the  Baptist) 
at  that  time  had  prepared,  or  was  preparing,  a  people  made 
ready  for  the  Lord.  After  Jesus  had  been  baptized  by  him, 
he,  by  his  disciples,  continued  to  baptize.  Out  of  these  a 
church  was  formed,  as  the  model  for  others.  The  Apostles 
formed  many  like  it  in  various  places.  We  have  already  exa- 
mined them,  and  found  that  they  were  Baptist  churches.' " 

The  audience  present  were  not  able  to  restrain  themselves  in 
view  of  this  very  modest  assumption  of  Mr.  Graves,  and  a 
general  outburst  of  laughter  was  the  result. 

"I  think,"  continued  Halley,  " that  we  have  already  deter- 
mined that  question  from  the  word  of  God  —  we  disposed  of  it 
from  Scripture  evidence  alone.  In  the  light  of  the  teachings 
of  the  Bible  we  decided  that  Mr.  Graves  has  no  claims  there ; 
and  this  decision  has  been  affirmed  and  strengthened  by  every 
step  we  have  taken  in  examining  the  history  of  the  church. 
This  decision,  in  view  of  all  the  proofs,  assumes  the  highest 
possible  degree  of  moral  certainty.  The  convincing  and  cor- 
roborative testimony,  and  the  positive  and  circumstantial  evi- 
dence in  favor  of  it,  place  it  beyond  the  question  of  a  doubt  in 
the  mind  of  every  candid  and  unprejudiced  person.  Let  us 
for  a  moment  take  a  retrospect,  and  recall  the  principal  points 
proved.  We  have  shown  that  in  the  very  establishment  of  the 
church  God  made  an  everlasting  covenant  with  his  professing 
people,  and  included  their  children ;  and  also,  that  they  have 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTII.  891 

been  invariably  included  in  his  covenants  with  them  in  all  sub- 
sequent times. — That  the  church,  from  the  time  of  Abraham, 
has  ever  been  the  same  in  substance. — Infants  were  once  mem- 
bers. They  must  be  still,  unless  some  positive  enactment  ex- 
cluding them  can  be  found.  Not  a  shadow  or  vestige  of  one 
has  ever  been  found  in  all  the  Bible  —  the  covenant  has  never 
been  abrogated — no  revoking  or  repealing  clause  has  ever  been 
discovered — nor  does  tradition  furnish  anything  of  the  kind. — 
Baptism  has  come  in  the  place  of  circumcision  as  the  seal  of 
God's  everlasting  covenant,  and  the  symbol  of  the  purifying 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  the  heart. — The  privileges 
and  sign  of  infant  church-membership,  to  which  all  the  first 
Christians  had  been  so  long  accustomed,  could  not  have  been 
abruptly  ivitlulraivn,  without  greatly  wounding  the  hearts  of 
parents,  and  producing  in  them  feelings  of  revolt  and  bitter 
complaint  against  the  innovations  of  the  new  dispensation  of 
the  church. — The  evidence  is  abundant  of  the  frequent  adop- 
tion of  the  principle  of  family  bapitisms  in  the  time  of  the 
Apostles. — The  New  Testament  abounds  in  passages  which  can- 
not reasonably  be  explained  but  in  harmony  with  the  doctrine 
of  infant  baptism. — The  close  and  endearing  connection  between 
parents  and  children  affords  a  strong  argument  in  favor  of  the 
church-membership  of  the  infant  offspring  of  the  professing 
believer. — Tbe  history  of  the  Christian  church  from  the  apos- 
tolic age,  furnishes  an  argument  of  irresistible  force  in  favor 
of  the  Divine  authority  of  infant  baptism. — This  ordinance  was 
universally  practised  in  the  primitive  church,  and  without  ex- 
ception, where  baptism  was  used  at  all,  for  eleven  centuries  after 
the  resurrection  of  our  Savior. — The  very  first  sect  or  community 
which  baptized  only  adults,  were  the  Petrobrusians,  in  the  twelfth 
century;  and  they  not  only  rejected  the  doctrine  of  infant  bap- 
tism, but  also  of  infant  salvation.     (See  Dr.  Kurtz's  J.  B.) 

"  In  proving  these  points,  we  have  not  been  obliged  to  torture 
the  sacred  Scriptures,  or  to  misconstrue  and  manufacture  histo- 


392  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

rical  facts.  We  have  tested  our  faith  by  the  pure  word  of  God, 
and  are  willing  to  stand  or  fall  by  the  truth.  In  setting  forth 
our  doctrines  and  belief,  we  have  taken  the  sacred  Scriptures  in 
all  their  fullness,  and  have  preserved  them  in  all  their  simpli- 
city. We  have  not  forced  the  Bible  to  make  such  improbable 
and  inconsistent  statements,  and  to  furnish  such  contradictory 
evidence,  as  becomes  necessary  on  the  part  of  our  Baptist  bre- 
thren in  order  to  sustain  their  unnatural  and  isolated  positions. 
We  do  not,  for  instance,  render  the  labors  of  John  the  Baptist 
superhuman  and  miraculous.  We  do  not  make  necessarily  such 
the  labors  of  a  few  disciples,  by  obliging  them  to  immerse 
wholly,  5  or  8000  persons,  on  two  different  days,  in  the  midst 
of  a  large  and  populous  city  scantily  supplied  with  water,  and 
with  no  conveniences  for  such  an  occasion ;  and  the  whole  city, 
moreover,  bitterly  hostile  to  any  such  movement.  We  do  not 
take  a  position  where  it  would  be  necessary  to  make  the  exceed- 
ingly improbable  supposition  that  eight  or  eleven  families,  taken 
at  random,  contained  no  children  whatever !  We  avoid  all  this, 
and  a  thousand  other  improbabilities  and  inconsistencies,  by 
taking  the  broad  platform  of  the  Pedobaptist  faith. 

"  Why  should  Christians  lay  so  much  stress  on  mere  external 
forms  ?  It  is  the  heart  which  God  looks  at.  He  seeks  for  spi- 
ritual worshippers  only.  If  the  heart  is  right  in  the  sight  of 
God,  the  service  will  be  wholly  acceptable.  It  is  well,  perhaps, 
that  different  forms  of  worship  exist,  as  thereby  religious  influ- 
ences may  be  brought  to  bear  more  directly  upon  the  various 
phases  of  mind.  But  the  spirit  of  Christian  love  and  unity 
should  be  paramount  to  all  sectarian  zeal  and  party  spirit,  and 
second  only  to  our  love  to  God.  Every  pulsation,  every  heart- 
throb, should  go  out  in  Christian  love  to  all  the  brethren  and 
sisters  in  Christ.  We  do  not  expect  entire  uniformity  in  the 
Christian  church;  but  we  do  expect,  and  shall  have,  entire 
■unanimity.  The  Lord  has  said ;  and  will  he  not  accomplish  ? 
He  has  promised ;  and  will  he  not  fulfill  ?      The  divisions  of 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  393 

Zion  shall  be  healed.  The  time  will  come  when  non-essentiata 
■ — mere  forms  and  ceremonies — shall  retire  to  their  own  proper 
place  in  the  background,  and  when  the  whole  church  —  all  of 
Christ's  spiritual  followers  —  shall  come  upon  the  broad  catho- 
lic platform  of  Christian  unanimity,  and  put  forth  their  united 
efforts  and  prayers  for  the  salvation  of  perishing  souls  around 
them,  and  for  the  conversion  of  the  world.  The  prayer  of  our 
blessed  Savior  shall  be  answered.  His  new  commandment,  put 
forth  to  his  people,  shall  be  regarded :  '  This  is  my  command- 
ment, that  ye  love  one  another,  as  I  have  loved  you.  Neither 
pray  I  for  these  alone ;  but  for  them  also  which  shall  believe 
on  me  through  their  word;  that  they  may  be  one;  as  thou, 
Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in 
US  ',  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me.' 

"  '  Christian  parents, — the  charge  intrusted  to  you  is  one,  the 
most  momentous  and  interesting  that  can  be  imagined  by  the 
human  mind.    It  is  the  charge  of  immortal  souls.    Every  child, 
when  born  into  the  world,  enters  upon  an  existence  that  is 
never  to  terminate,  upon  a  short  and  precarious  life  on  earth, 
which  must  be  succeeded  by  eternal  blessedness,  or  eternal 
woe.     How  solemn  the  consideration !     And  with   regard  to 
your  own  children,  to  you  is  committed  the  sacred  trust,  of  im- 
parting to  them  that  knowledge,  which,  through  the  blessing 
of  God,  shall  make  them  "wise  unto  salvation."     These  lights, 
lighted  with  eternity,  it  is  yours  to  feed  with  holy  oil  from  the 
sanctuary  of  God,  that  they  may  burn,  with  pure  and  lovely 
radiance,  befoi'e  the  throne  above.     These  never-dying  plants, 
it  is  yours  to  rear  and  to  cherish,  bringing  down  upon  them,  by 
your  prayers,  the  dews  and  rains  of  heaven,  that  so  they  may 
nourish  and  bear  fruit  for  ever,  in  the  paradise  of  God.     0 
forget  not  the  sacred  obligation.     Let  it  be  engraven  on  your 
hearts,  "  as  with  a  pen  of  iron  and  the  point  of  a  diamond." 
Yuu  love  your  children.     They  are  as  dear  to  you  as  the  apple 
of  your  eye, — precious  as  your  own  souls.     What  is  there  that 


394  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

you  would  not  part  with,  to  secure  their  well-being?  And  are 
not  their  eternal  interests  first  in  your  thoughts,  and  first  in 
your  desires  for  them  ?  If  you  feel  as  Christians,  they  are,  — 
they  must  be.  Let  them,  then,  be  first  in  your  prayers,  and 
first  in  your  exertions.  Seek  to  impress  early  on  their  hearts  a 
sense  of  the  unspeakable  importance  of  eternal  things.  Teach 
them  the  knowledge  and  fear  of  the  Lord,  when  you  sit  in  the 
house,  and  when  you  walk  by  the  way;  never  with  the  repul- 
sive austerity  of  a  master,  but  with  all  the  engaging  tenderness 
of  paternal  love.  Let  no  prospect  of  temporal  advantage  induce 
you  to  expose  their  souls  to  any  unnecessary  hazards  from  the 
snares  and  temptations  of  a  deceitful  world.  Let  no  corporeal 
attractions,  and  no  mental  accomplishments,  however  gratifying 
they  may  lawfully  be,  appropriate  that  peculiar  joy,  which,  in 
the  hearts  of  godly  parents,  must  ever  be  reserved  for  "  seeing 
their  children  walking  in  truth."  Set  your  hearts,  with  intense 
and  unquenchable  desire,  on  the  salvation  of  your  offspring. 
Ask  it  of  God  with  fervor  and  importunity  of  faith.  Show 
the  sincerity  of  your  prayers,  by  unwearied  attention  to  the  use 
of  necessary  means  ;  and  I  doubt  not,  you  will  have  the  blessed- 
ness of  seeing,  amongst  your  offspring,  a  seed  arise  to  serve  the 
Lord.  May  the  "God  of  the  families  of  Israel"  impress,  more 
deeply  than  ever,  upon  your  minds,  the  duty  enjoined  upon 
you!  Let  the  baptism  of  your  children  —  if  they  have  been 
thus  consecrated  to  God  —  and  every  baptism  you  are  called  to 
witness,  remind  you  of  your  obligations,  and  bring  you  to  your 
knees,  with  tears  of  conscious  short-coming,  and  of  earnest  en- 
treaty for  grace  to  fulfill  them.'  The  controversy,  my  friends, 
is  now  closed.  1  think  we  have  fully  established  our  faith  and 
doctrines.  We  have,  from  the  word  of  God,  shown  them  to  be 
correct;  and  that  all  our  positions  taken.  Were  grounded  on  the 
Bible;  and  further,  confirmed  and  strengthened  by  the  history 
of  the  church.  May  God  add  his  blessing,  and  lead  your  minds 
in  the  way  of  all  truth." 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  395 


CHAPTER  XIII 


"Let  love,  in  one  delightful  stream 
Through  ev'ry  bosom  flow , 
Let  union  sweet,  and  dear  esteem, 
In  ev'ry  action,  glow. 
Love  is  the  golden  chain  that  binds 
The  happy  souls  above; 
And  he's  an  heir  of  heaven  who  finds 
His  bosom  glow  with  love." 

"Like  to  the  falling  of  a  star, 
Or  as  the  flights  of  eagles  are, 
Or  like  the  fresh  spring's  gaudy  hue, 
Or  silver  drops  of  morning  dew, 
Or  like  a  wind  that  chafes  the  flood, 
Or  bubbles  which  on  water  stood, — 
Even  such  is  man,  whose  borrow'd  light 
Is  straight  call'd  in,  and  paid  to-night. 
The  wind  blows  out ;  the  bubble  dies ; 
The  spring  entomb'd  in  autumn  lies ; 
The  clew  dries  up ;  the  star  is  shot ; 
The  flight  is  past;  and  man  forgot." 


After  the  controversy  of  the  day  was  over,  the  excited 
crowd  seemed  loth  to  depart  to  their  individual  homes ;  they 
gathered  in  groups  around  the  yards  and  gardens  which  en- 
circled the  Clayton  house,  and  with  earnest  gestures  and  hur- 
ried tones  of  voice,  gave  expression  to  their  convictions  of  truth 
and  sense  of  duty. 

"  Well,"  said  one,  "  do'nt  I  step  like  one  of  your  royal  line  ? 
I  feel  as  though  our  line  of  ancestry  had  been  well  defined,  and 


896  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OK, 

that  our  claims  of  legitimacy  must  for  ever  be  established.  Let 
me  see  —  it  goes  thus :  '  Baptists  alone  have  existed  as  pure 
communities  of  Christians  from  Christ's  ascension  until  now. 
It  makes  me  feel  as  though  I  had  pure  blood  in  my  veins  ! " 

A  quiet  laugh  was  the  only  rejoinder. 

"  I  have  heard  this  discussion  from  beginning  to  end,"  said 
another,  "  and  I  am  satisfied  wbere  the  truth  lies.  All  bitter- 
ness and  strife  among  Christians,  and  these  divisions  of  God's 
family  on  minor  questions,  are  from  the  author  of  all  evil.  And 
through  these  divisions  and  strifes  he  most  effectually  cripples 
the  progress  of  the  Christian  world.  Henceforth  and  for  ever,  I 
am  neither  of  Paul,  nor  of  Apollos,  nor  of  Cephas,  but  of  Christ. 
And  whosoever  bears  the  image  of  Christ,  I  will  regard  as 
Christ's  also,  and  recognize  him  as  a  brother  in  the  Lord." 

"  What !  give  up  all  denominational  distinctions,  and  regard 
the  members  of  other  churches  in  the  same  light  you  do  your 
own  ?"  exclaimed  a  listener  to  the  former  remark,  with  surprise. 
"  I  have  heard  our  ministers  declare,  that  they  had  no  doubt 
these  distinctions  were  for  the  good  of  the  cause,  and  that  a 
man  was  a  better  Christian  for  having  a  good  share  of  sectarian 
zeal.  I  never  half  believed  it,  though — that's  a  fact ! "  he  con- 
tinued, aside  to  himself. 

The  man  addressed  raised  his  clear  thoughtful  eyes  upon  the 
eager  circle  around  him,  and  replied :  "  Nevertheless,  there  are 
no  sects  or  clans  sanctioned  in  the  word  of  God ;  and  I  take  it 
God  knows  best  what  is  for  the  good  of  his  own  cause.  Saith 
the  word  :  '  Now  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  all  speak  the  same  thing,  and  that 
there  be  no  divisions  among  you;  but  that  ye  be  perfectly 
joined  together  in  the  same  mind  and  in  the  same  judgment' 
(1  Cor.  i.  10).  If  ministers  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ 
could  realize  the  fearful  responsibility  they  incur — yea,  I  may 
add  guilt  —  in  their  anxiety  to  keep  up  dividing  lines  in  God's 
family,  I  verily  believe  they  would  shrink  with  terror  from  such 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  397 

efforts,  and  retire  with  trembling  anxious  souls  to  their  closets, 
and  would  come  not  forth  to  their  charge  and  people  again  till 
they  had  more  of  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel  in  their  hearts.  I 
would  like  to  read  some  of  God's  truth  to  these  clerical  strife 
venders  and  party  agitators ;  and  then  bid  them  go  with  it  to 
their  places  of  secret  prayer,  and  there  examine  themselves  by 
it,  as  they  may  expect  to  be  scrutinized  by  the  light  of  eternity 
at  the  judgment-bar  of  God  : — 'tis  better,  by  far,  to  be  straitened 
now  than  then. 

"  Why  is  it  so  difficult,"  he  continued,  "  to  regard  all  Chris- 
tians as  one  brotherhood,  though  not  precisely  of  the  same  name 
or  mould  ?  We  do  not  reason  so  foolishly  on  any  other  subject. 
For  example :  here  are  a  number  of  us  in  this  circle  who  are 
farmers ;  we  are  called  farmers  because  we  cultivate  the  soil, 
yet  no  two  of  us  agree  as  to  the  precise  manner  of  its  cultiva- 
tion. Should  that,  then,  be  a  cause  of  strife  ?  Should  we 
separate  into  clans,  and  wage  exterminating  warfare  against 
everything  that  does  not  correspond  with  our  manner  of  pre- 
paring the  ground  and  sowing  the  seed  ?  Let  us  try  the  ex- 
periment— and  how  soon  would  an  outraged  community  drag  us 
to  an  insane  asylum  !  They  would  tell  us  :  ' poor  foolish  mor- 
tals, do'nt  you  know  that  your  way  has  not  arrived  at  a  full 
state  of  perfection  so  that  it  cannot  be  improved  upon  ?  and 
besides  there  is  an  endless  variety  of  soils,  each  requiring  a 
different  process  of  cultivation  to  develop  its  capacities  of  pro- 
duction,— what  is  good  for  one  is  not  good  for  another,  though 
the  same  seed  be  planted  in  both/ 

"Now  suppose  one  of  us  should  still  persist:  '/  know  I'm 
right!  I  tell  you,  I  alone  of  all  the  world  am  a  farmer  V  and 
should  further  continue  to  reply  to  all  the  arguments  brought 
against  us,  that  farming  means  to  cultivate  the  soil,  and  others 
cultivate  the  soil  as  well  as  we,  and  are  equally  entitled  to  be 
designated  and  recognized  as  farmers :  '  I  tell  you,  no  !  I  alone 
of  all  the  world  am  a  farmer,  because  I  cultivate  the  soil,  and 

OA 


398  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

you  see  nobody  else  cultivates  it  just  as  I  do.'  You  say  at  once 
such  a  man  is  mad,  yet  this  is  just  the  way  some  Christians 
reason  about  religion,  and  the  world  looks  on  in  silence  —  no, 
not  in  silence.  Skeptics  listen  and  question  with  contempt; 
scoffers  repeat  exultingly  their  scoffing,  and  devils  leer  with 
savage  satisfaction,  and  whisper  new  words  to  fan  the  blazing 
strife.  Look  at  it,  brethren,  and  see  if  it  is  not  so.  Here  are 
Baptists,  Methodists,  and  Presbyterians.  We  have  studied  each 
other's  characters.  We  know  each  other  to  be  Christians,  and 
we  talk  about  meeting  in  heaven  as  members  of  Christ's  family, 
to  become  one  in  our  Glorious  Head  ;  and  now  tell  me,  brethren, 
in  the  name  of  that  God  whom  we  all  profess  to  love,  why  we 
cannot  worship  together  here  ? "  There  was  no  reply.  The 
usual  reasoning  urged — or  rather  evasion,  "  You  do'nt  think  as 
I  do,"  was  rebuked ;  and  each  one  was  impressed  with  the 
thought  that  God  has  stamped  an  infinite  variety  on  all  the 
works  of  his  hand — on  mind  as  well  as  on  matter.  And  although 
no  spear  of  gi-ass  is  an  exact  copy  of  another,  and  no  leaf  of 
the  forests  in  the  wide  world  has  its  exact  counterpart,  and  no 
two  Christian  minds  can  have  precisely  the  same  view  of  God 
and  of  God's  truth,  yet  grass  is  grass  however  various,  leaves 
are  leaves  however  different  in  form  and  appearance,  and  a 
child  of  God  is  a  child  of  God,  by  whatever  name  called,  and 
however  much  he  may  vary  from  his  Christian  brother  in  regard 
to  mere  forms  and  non-essentials. 

The  requirement  made  is :  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  This  is  the  only  prerequisite 
essential  to  salvation.  How  simple  its  terms !  Here  is  a  land- 
mark planted  by  Jehovah  himself,  and  around  it  all  Christians 
gather  —  here  they  must  meet.  "Believe,"  thou  trembling 
soul,  and  remember  Paul  testifies:  " After  that  ye  believe,  ye 
arc  scaled  with  that  Holy  Spirit  of  promise."  Thou  art,  then, 
a  child  of  the  Most  High  God  —  an  heir  of  glory  sealed  with 
the    signet  of  heaven !     Rejoice  then,  even  in  view  of  that 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  399 

diversity  of  mind  which  enables  one  brother  to  gain  access  to 
truths  denied  to  another,  and  that  other  still  to  overreach  his 
fellow  in  pursuits  of  knowledge  and  wisdom  where  the  former 
fails  or  comes  short  of  a  full  and  clear  understanding  of  the 
difficult  questions  before  him  —  for  it  is  of  God.  One  soul  is 
precious  in  his  sight,  for  its  simple  clinging  trust  which  asks 
not  why? — and  could  not  comprehend  if  it  should  ask.  An- 
other is  not  loved  the  less  or  more,  because  it  reaches  with  a 
bold  hand  and  grasps  truths  beyond  the  sphere  of  the  ordinary 
mind,  and  looks  far  into  the  mysteries  of  God's  moral  govern- 
ment, and  longs  for  clearer  insights,  and  more  distant  views ! 
God  only  requires  his  children  to  worship  him  according  to  the 
diversity  of  gifts  bestowed  upon  them.  "  Thou  shalt  love  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  soul,  might,  mind,  and  strength." 
Not  with  the  strength  and  mind  of  thy  neighbor,  but  of  thyself '. 
Such  thoughts  as  these  crowded  the  interval  of  silence  following 
the  question  put  by  the  last  speaker.  And  as  he,  during  this 
impressive  silence,  turned  and  gazed  upon  the  bowed  form,  and 
the  tearful  eyes  of  one  whose  head  was  whitened  by  the  frosts 
of  many  winters,  he  asked  : 

"What  say  you,  Father  Benjamine?" 

"  Brethren,"  replied  the  old  man,  with  a  voice  tremulous 
with  emotion,  "you  all  know  my  sands  of  life  are  nearly  run 
out — one  foot  is  already  in  the  grave — and  standing  thus  with 
a  loosened  grasp  on  earth,  I  look  back  on  this  world  boiling  and 
seething  with  human  passions  ;  and,  then,  I  remember  how  our 
blessed  Savior  loved  this  sin-benighted  world  ;  and,  then,  I 
call  to  mind  that  God  hath  said  in  his  word  :  'Whereas  there 
is  among  you  envying,  strife,  and  divisions ;  are  ye  not  carnal 
and  walk  as  men  ? '  And  again  :  '  To  be  carnally-minded  is 
death;  because  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God,  and  is 
not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be.  0,  my 
brethren,  this  has  long  been  to  me  a  subject  of  thought  and  of 
prayer.     I  have  cried  out  in  my  agony  of  soul :  When  will 


400  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

Christians  exhibit  in  their  lives  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  ?  God  hasten  the  time !  O  how  I  have  longed  for  the 
millennial  sun  to  begin  to  brighten  the  East !  I  am  old  now — 
I  never  shall  see  it !  But  blessed  be  God,  that  he  hath  granted 
to  me,  even  in  the  twilight  of  the  evening  of  my  days,  to  lift 
up  my  eyes  and  behold  the  fig-tree,  and  all  the  trees,  how  they 
shoot  forth  —  and  I  know  the  summer  is  now  nigh  at  hand  ! 
Christian  souls  are  flowing  together.  Union  is  becoming  the 
watchword  of  the  times  !  God's  Spirit  follows  this  flowing  to- 
gether in  holiness  and  love  of  Christian  souls,  and  comes  down 
in  answer  to  their  united  cry,  so  that  the  Protestant  world  is 
to-day  one*  great  revival  scene !  Praise  God !  This  is  the 
morning  star,  and  these  are  the  enkindling  rays  which  bode  the 
coming  day ! " 

In  another  corner  of  the  yard  was  a  small  group  who  resolved 
that  "sink  or  swim"  they  would  stick  to  the  old  platform  of 
"one  churchism,"  and,  if  need  be,  they  would  remove  their 
church  connections  immediately  to  some  body  not  infected  with 
such  heresies,  fearing  lest  they  too  might  become  contaminated. 
We  with  no  little  curiosity  scrutinize  their  faces,  and  count 
them — thank  God,  there  are  only  five !  As  we  look  further,  it 
is  plainly  to  be  seen  that  the  leaven  of  God's  truth  is  working 
deeply  among  the  masses ',  you  can  trace  it  in  the  thoughtful 
glance  and  in  the  determined  air.  The  masses  are  truly  think- 
ing—  and  well  we  know  there  is  hope  of  all  who  think. 

There  were  clustered  on  the  neatly-scoured  floor  of  the  Clay- 
ton kitchen  a  group  of  women,  also  discussing  earnestly  the 
great  topic  of  the  day ;  but  Mother  Clayton  is  too  busy  in  her 
preparations  for  tea  to  give  them  any  attention.  The  more 
eagerly  questions  are  proposed  and  the  warmer  the  discussion 
becomes,  the  more  industriously  she  labors,  and  energetically 
she  moves,  with  a  splash  here  and  a  bang  there,  as  though  she 
would  impress  the  idea  more  forcibly  than  did  Gallio  of  old, 
that  she  "  cared  for  none  of  those  things. "     Ever  since  Elder 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  401 

Burton's  departure  she  had  eschewed  doctrinal  controversies. 
She  "vowed  a  vow"  never  more  to  meddle  with  theological 
questions  —  which  course  we  heartily  recommend  to  all  under 
similar  circumstances,  and  hope  they  may  be  equally  successful 
in  keeping  it. 

But  this  group  of  women  are  evidently  of  another  mind. 
Nearly  all  of  them  have  near  and  dear  relatives  who  are  mem- 
bers of  other  branches  of  the  great  Evangelical  church,  and 
who  give  equal  evidence,  with  Baptist  Christians,  of  piety  and 
acceptance  with  God. 

To  be  required  to  denounce  these  as  outsiders,  and  even  as 
"Antichrist/'  touched  their  feelings.  They  do  not  stop  to  rea- 
son (most  women  do  not  —  and  why  should  they,  when  their 
higher  natural  impulses  are  as  true  to  the  right  as  tbe  needle 
to  the  pole  ?) — they  feel  it  is  wrong;  and  with  feelings  bursting 
forth  in  this  channel,  they  are  about  to  wield  an  influence  as 
irresistible  as  mountain  torrents  !  After  a  free  expression  of 
opinion  all  round,  they  turned  almost  instinctively  to  question 
the  wan,  sweet  face  of  Widow  Giles.  She  had  been  a  silent, 
but  attentive  listener ;  and  to  the  question  asked  her,  "  What 
do  you  say  to  such  claims,  Widow  Giles?"  she  replied:  "You, 
my  friends,  are  Baptists,  and  I  am  a  Methodist;  and  I  would 
simply  say,  in  the  language  of  Paul, '  Do  ye  look  on  things  after 
the  outward  appearance  ?  If  any  man  trust  to  himself  that  he 
is  Christ's,  let  him  of  himself  think  this  again,  that  as  he  is 
Christ's,  even  so  are  we  Christ's.'  '  He  therefore  that  despiseth, 
despiseth  not  man,  but  God,  who  hath  also  given  unto  us  his 
Holy  Spirit.' " 

This  gentle  rebuke  stirred  the  already  moving  waters,  and 
sunk  deep  into  every  soul.  It  was  the  still,  small  voice  of  God, 
reproving  self-righteousness ;  and  more  than  one  turned  away 
to  hide  their  tears,  and  to  question  whether,  in  despising  others 
of  varying  denominations — though  perhaps  almost  unconsciously 
—  they  had  not  thereby  despised  God  instead. 
34  *  2  a 


402  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  Do  you  suppose  she  ever  got  hold  of  that  hook  ahout  the 
Methodists,  which  Father  Long-wind  was  circulating  so  carefully 
around  here  ? "  asked  whisperingly  one  of  another.  "  If  I 
thought  she  had,  I  could  never  look  her  in  the  face  again  — 
never  in  the  world." 

"  My  friends,"  continued  the  Widow,  looking  up  with  a 
strangely  sweet  smile  on  her  lips,  "  I  entreat  you  as  Christians, 
let  us  love  one  another.  You  know  the  Evangelist  John  testi- 
fied :  '  He  that  saith  he  is  in  the  light,  and  hateth  his  brother, 
is  in  darkness  even  until  now.'  Again  :  '  He  that  hateth  his 
brother  is  a  murderer,  and  ye  know  that  no  murderer  hath 
eternal  life  abiding  in  him.'  Let  us  not  deceive  ourselves," 
she  added,  with  a  saddened,  impressive  look;  "the  word  of 
God  speaks  to  us  plainly,  and  says,  '  If  any  man  say  he  love 
God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a  liar.'  Let  us  love  one  an- 
other, for  love  is  of  God;  and  if  we  love  one  another,  God 
dwelleth  in  us,  the  hope  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  that  which 
is  to  come.  Let  us  love  one  another  in  Christian  fellowship, 
and  we  shall  feel  the  joys  of  heaven  kindling  in  our  souls  even 
now." 

In  the  interval  of  silence  which  followed,  they  passed  out 
one  by  one,  revolving  the  question  as  they  walked  homeward, 
"  What  is  it  to  love  one  another  ? "  0  that  every  Christian 
would  ask  himself  this  question  prayerfully,  and  answer  it 
prayerfully  in  the  fear  of  God  !  There  then  would  not  only  be 
peace  between  different  denominations  —  all  strifes,  and  preju- 
dices, and  sectarian  broils  be  brought  to  an  end  —  but  also  the 
bickerings,  jealousies,  slanders,  and  ill-feelings  now  existing 
among  the  members  of  individual  churches,  would  be  unknown ! 
The  aspersions  and  calumnies  touching  our  brethren  in  Christ, 
started  by  the  author  of  all  evil,  would  not  then  meet  with  favor 
among  professing  Christians,  and  much  less  be  endorsed  and 
adopted  by  them,  and  extended  beyond  the  pale  of  the  church, 
to  be  made  capital  of  by  doubting,  scoffing,  and  infidel  men  of 


T  II  E    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  403 

the  world !  Christians  then  -would  cease  to  countenance  and 
to  give  currency  to  unfavorable  reports  of  their  brethren ! 

Elder  Clayton  was  sitting  quiet  and  contemplative  in  his  own 
arm-chair,  feeling  a  peace,  which  was  almost  a  joy,  settling  its 
calm  upon  his  soul.  After  they  had  all  passed  out  from  the 
recent  discussion,  he  retired  to  his  study  and  fell  on  his  knees, 
and  looked  up  to  God  in  earnest  prayer.  And  in  his  pleadings 
he  approached  so  nearly  the  source  of  that  Divine  Love  which 
permeates  everywhere,  and  diffuses  its  sunshine  throughout  the 
utmost  limits  of  the  universe  of  God,  as  to  drink  in  large 
draughts  at  the  life-giving  Fountain.  All  the  sweetness  and 
outgoings  of  his  heart  were  centreing  around  one  name,  even 
as  the  sun's  rays  centre  at  one  point ;  that  name  was  Jesus  ! 
And  as  from  one  centre-piece  the  sun's  rays,  diverging,  warm 
and  vivify  to  the  utmost  limits  of  its  far-off  rolling  orbs,  so  the 
light  of  love  —  even  the  love  kindled  at  the  altar  of  God  — 
within  his  soul,  was  reaching  out  of  itself  as  it  never  reached 
before,  to  kindle  and  to  warm  other  souls  at  the  same  altar. 

Elder  Clayton  felt,  for  the  first  time  in  his  Christian  life,  that 
he  could  look  up  to  his  Heavenly  Father  and  say  that  he  loved 
the  universal  brotherhood  of  man,  and  especially  the  entire 
household  of  faith.  He  opened  the  Bible  which  lay  on  the 
table  before  him  (perhaps  unseen  fingers  directed  the  opening 
and  the  eye),  and  his  first  glance  fell  upon  a  passage  regarding 
the  righteousness  through  which  we  are  justified  before  God. 
It  declares  that  it  is  that  "which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ 
unto  all  and  upon  all  that  believe;  for  there  is  no  difference !" 
What '.  no  difference  ?  Elder  Clayton  had  read  this  passage 
many  times  before,  but  it  surprised  him  now  with  a  new  mean- 
ing. What !  no  difference  in  the  sight  of  God  among  those  who 
believe  ?  Xo  difference  !  Elder  Clayton  pondered  long  upon 
this  thought.  "  Where  is  boasting  then  ?  "  adds  the  inspired 
pensman ;  and  then  answers,  "  it  is  excluded."  Ah  !  would  to 
God  that  it  were  wholly  excluded,  thought  Elder  Clayton,  as 


404  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

he  closed  the  hook.  There  then  came  up  recollections  of  the 
past ;  and  he  called  to  mind  that  he  had  a  brother  somewhere 
in  the  Western  wilds,  traveling  as  a  circuit-preacher.  He  had 
often  thought  of  him  before,  but  for  many  years  only  as  a  poor 
misguided  brother  whom  God,  though  he  might  not  utterly 
condemn,  yet  could  not  regard  or  receive  with  the  same  favor 
as  .those  of  "  the  regular  apostolical  church."  Is  he  a  Chris- 
tian ?  0  yes,  certainly !  I  cannot  doubt  it.  In  what  respect, 
then,  am  I  better  than  he  ?  Paul  says  there  is  no  difference 
among  those  who  believe.  "  All  have  sinned,  and  come  short 
of  the  glory  of  God ;  being  justified" — how?  By  good  works, 
so  that  some  become  more  righteous  than  others,  and  thus  have 
whereof  to  boast  ?  No,  says  Paul,  not  by  works,  but — "  freely  by 
his  grace,  through  the  redemption  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 
If  it  is  h>/  grace,  then  it  is  a  gift — the  unmerited  favor  of  God. 
It  is  Christ's  righteousness,  then,  which  is  acceptable  to  God,  and 
not  mine  ;  it  is  only  imputed  to  me  through  faith  in  his  blood. 
Can  I  plead  more  than  is  necessary  to  insure  my  acceptance  ? 
Can  my  brother  plead  less  ?  Where  then  is  boasting  ?  I  am 
satisfied  that  all  these  prejudices  and  fancies  we  indulge  in,  are 
human-drawn  lines  and  distinctions,  dictated  by  a  pharisaical 
spirit,  and  unrecognized  by  the  word  of  God.  I  have  wronged 
my  brother.  —  Elder  Clayton  seized  his  pen  with  tremulous 
grasp,  and  wrote  hastily,  while  tears  blinded  his  eyes.  We 
glance  over  his  shoulder,  as  we  are  passing  out,  just  long 
enough  to  read  the  first  sentence,  on  which  a  tear-drop  has 
fallen — "  Dear  Brother  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord." 

In  the  lower  garden  by  the  brook-side  was  an  arbor,  over 
which  a  grape-vine  had  laced  and  interlaced  its  branches  so  as 
to  completely  &hut  it  from  the  outer  world.  This  was  Anna's 
favorite  retreat.  In  this  shady  recess,  there  had  been  born  to 
Anna  high  thoughts  and  holy  aspirations,  whose  influence  had 
already  started  out  upon  the  world  to  awaken  kindred  thoughts 
in  surrounding  minds  —  a  rapidly  widening  circle,  whose  outer 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  405 

limit  could  only  be  known  to  the  Infinite.  Anna  had  sought 
this  covert  at  the  close  of  the  discussion,  and  was  now  sitting 
there  in  complete  abstraction ;  singing  a  song  of  gratitude  to 
God  from  her  inmost  soul,  for  the  work  already  accomplished, 
and  asking  prayerfully,  "  Lord,  what  more  hast  thou  for  me  to 
do?" 

The  sun's  level  rays  sifted  in  among  the  purple  grapes,  and 
lit  up  her  auburn  curls,  yet  she  noted  neither  time  nor  sur- 
roundings. One  all-engrossing  thought  wholly  occupied  her 
mind,  so  that  she  perceived  not  that  a  sudden  shadow  chased  out 
the  sunlight,  and  that  footsteps  were  approaching.  Halley,  lift- 
ing softly  the  trellised  vines,  stood  before  her. 

"  Anna  ! "  he  said,  laying  his  hand  lightly  on  her  bowed  head, 
and  then  seating  himself  beside  her,  "  Anna,  pardon  my  intru- 
sion." He  half  smiled  at  her  surprised  cpuestioning  glance, 
and  added  :  "  I  have  come  to  talk  with  you  on  a  subject  which 
I  am  sure  will  be  interesting,  though  foreign  to  the  one  which 
now  occupies  your  thoughts.  Do  you  remember,"  he  continued, 
after  a  little  pause,  "  the  path  which  leads  to  Widow  Giles'  cot- 
tage, where  it  crosses  the  brook,  and  a  willow  droops  its  branches 
over  brook  and  path  ?  Did  you  never  sit  there  sorrowing,  that 
you  knew  nothing  of  your  mother  but  her  name  ?" 

Anna's  eyes  dilated  to  a  wondrous  depth,  and  a  cpuick  flush 
mantling  her  cheek,  revealed  the  sudden  transition  of  her 
feelings. 

"  I  understand — go  on  ! "  she  said,  with  an  agitated  and  some- 
what husky  voice. 

"Long  ago,  there  bloomed  a  second  Eden,  and  two  loving 
hearts  reigned  in  it.  Affection  strung  their  souls  in  unison, 
and  they  gave  forth  sweet  harmony  with  never  a  discordant 
note.  Wealth,  too,  ministered  to  the  gratification  of  their  re- 
fined tastes,  and  God  bestowed  first  a  son  and  then  a  fair-haired 
daughter  to  gratify  all  the  heart  craves  of  earthly  good.  This 
Eden  also  had  its  tempter.     The  great  adversary  who  walks  up 


406  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

and  down  in  the  earth,  and  to  and  fro  in  it,  saw  here  too  much 
of  happiness  for  this  sin-cursed  world  —  his  place  of  frequent 
resort — and  he  thereupon  determined  to  blight  it.  In  an  evil 
moment,  the  husband,  being  far  absent  from  home,  was  called 
suddenly  to  a  still  more  distant  State  to  see  his  aged  father  die. 
He  delayed  not  a  moment  to  comply  with  the  demands  of  filial 
affection.  He  dropped  his  loving  wife  a  hasty  line  to  explain 
the  necessity  of  his  lengthened  absence,  and  set  out.  The  wife 
never  received  the  letter.  Months  passed ;  and  she,  alarmed  in  the 
mean  time  at  his  long  and  unexpected  absence,  made  inquiries 
in  vain,  and  soon  she  only  met  with  the  whispers  that  he  had 
proven  false.  False  !  — impossible  ! —  it  set  her  brain  on  fire. 
Still  she  waited,  and  he  came  not.  Still  she  hoped  even  on 
the  borders  of  despair,  yet  heard  nothing  to  reveal  the  mystery. 
The  tempter  came  and  whispered,  you  have  nothing  to  live  for 
now  —  poison  —  she  turned  away  with  loathing.  He  pursued 
and  threatened  with  taunting  words,  till  she,  maddened  to 
phrenzj7,  with  reason  dethroned,  snatched  her  youngest  child 
from  its  crib,  and  fled  out  into  the  darkness  of  the  world,  and 
was  never  heard  of  more ! " 

"Oh!  God — my  mother  —  my  mother!"  exclaimed  Anna, 
with  a  convulsive  sob. 

Halley  drew  her  gently  toward  him,  and  continued :  "  The 
husband  soothed  his  father's  last  fading  hours,  closed  his  eyes 
in  death,  followed  him  to  his  final  resting-place,  and  then  started 
in  haste  on  his  return.  But  the  coasting  vessel  he  took  passage 
on  was  wrecked,  and  he  with  most  of  the  crew  were  picked  up 
by  a  vessel  bound  to  the  West  Indies.  Anxiety  for  his  family, 
and  fatigues  to  which  he  had  been  exposed,  brought  on  a  fever, 
and  delirium  took  possession  of  his  mind,  and  months  passed 
before  he  could  write.  And  when  he  hastened  back  —  though 
weak  and  feeble  he  could  delay  no  longer  —  he  found  his  own 
home  a  desolation.  The  idol  of  his  bosom,  dearer  than  life  it- 
self,  had  flown.    The  tempter  and  the  tempted  had  disappeared 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  407 

in  one  night,  and  madam  Rumor  shook  her  head  with  grave 
suspicion.  No  trace  of  the  mother  and  child  could  ever  he 
found.  The  grief-stricken  man  mourned  for  his  wife  and 
daughter  more  feelingly  and  bitterly  than  if  he  had  followed 
them  to  the  grave ;  and  for  months  after  he  had  given  them 
up,  he  refused  to  be  comforted.  But  at  length  when  his  grief 
had  been  softened  by  years,  he  looked  around  more  hopefully, 
and  at  last  took  to  himself  another  companion  to  gladden  his 
old  age,  and  he  yet  lives." 

Anna  had  arisen  to  her  feet,  shaken  by  strange  emotions, 
and  was  now  standing  with  lips  slightly  parted  gazing  at  the 
speaker.  "Tell  me,"  she  said,  with  a  heaving  bosom,  and  a 
hoarse  and  tremulous  voice,  "who  is  my  father?" 

"  Your  father  is  my  father,  Anna  ! " 

"What!"  exclaimed  Anna. 

"And  you  are  my  sister  —  my  only  sister  —  my  long-lost 
sister  ! "  Halley  opened  his  arms,  and  she  sunk  within  them, 
bursting  into  a  flood  of  grateful  tears. 

"  My  brother  !  Is  it  possible  that  I  have  a  brother  —  and  a 
father,  too?"  she  whispered  half  audibly.  "God  hath  an- 
swered my  prayer !  God  hath  pitied  the  deep  loneliness  of  my 
heart,  and  found  me  a  brother!  0  God,  I  thank  thee!"  she 
continued,  lifting  her  hands  and  tearful  eyes  toward  heaven. 
"  0  God,  my  full  heart  crieth  out,  it  is  enough — it  is  enough  ! " 

Halley  clasped  his  new-found  sister  to  his  bosom,  and  whis- 
pered :  "  We  must  not  be  selfish  in  our  joy.  Remember  there 
is  an  old  man,  whose  hair  was  silvered  in  one  grief-stricken 
night,  who  should  share  our  joy.  Anna,  let  us  go  home  to  our 
father.  Shall  we  not  set  out  immediately  for  home  ?  I  know 
you  will  there  meet  the  full  affection  of  an  indulgent  father; 
and  one  also  will  be  there  who  will  be  to  you  as  a  mother,  for 
well  has  she  filled  that  trust  towards  me.  0,  Anna,  we  only 
lack  you  there  to  make  our  circle  complete.  And  you  will  there 
find   society   more   suited   to  your  tastes,  intellectually   and 


408  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

morally  cultivated  and  refined,  in  -which  you  are  so  well  fitted 
to  shine."  Anna  turned  away  to  question  her  own  heart ;  she 
called  to  mind  how  she  had  just  been  asking  God  to  give  her  a 
work  to  do ;  and  should  she  now  turn  away  at  such  a  time  from 
this  inviting  field  of  labor? 

"No,  I  cannot  go  with  you  noio,  my  brother.  God's  claims 
are  first.  Do  you  not  see  the  morning  of  his  right  hand  of 
power  in  our  midst  ?  Do  you  not  see  his  finger  pointing  out 
distinctly  a  great  work  here  to  be  done  ?  To-morrow  will  be 
the  Sabbath.  For  the  first  time  in  my  life,  I  expect  to  worship 
God  where  Christians  of  all  names  unite  with  equally  acknow- 
ledged rights  and  privileges.  0,  my  brother,  what  a  day  of 
rejoicing  that  will  be  to  my  soul!  I  have  long  prayed  for  it: 
thank  God  !  he  has  given  me  power  to  labor  for  it,  and  I  trust 
I  can  labor  still  more.  When  the  work  is  accomplished  here, 
and  Zion  stands  out  as  fair  as  the  sun,  and  strong  in  the  power 
of  her  might,  then  —  yes,  then  I  will  fly  to  my  father's  out- 
stretched arms,  and  seek  my  duty  in  the  dictates  of  filial  love." 

"Anna,  I  am  reproved,"  replied  Halley.  "I  will  stay  and 
labor  with  you  till  the  indications  of  Providence  permit  us  to 
return." 

On  the  morrow,  a  Sabbath's  stillness  reigned.  Even  before 
the  usual  hour,  the  church  was  filled  with  a  deeply  interested 
and  solemn  congregation.  Elder  Clayton  walked  slowly  up  the 
aisle,  and  ascended  the  pulpit  stairs.  As  he  seated  himself  and 
looked  around  upon  the  thronged  and  breathlessly  quiet  house, 
all  the  events  of  the  last  week  came  crowding  in  upon  his 
mind.  The  Communion  with  its  effect,  the  angry  interview, 
the  excommunication,  all  came;  and  yet,  he  was  in  his  accus- 
tomed place,  and  before  his  own  beloved  people,  and  every 
member  of  his  own  flock  present  to  listen  to  his  words  of  love 
and  admonition.  His  emotions  overpowered  him.  He  tried  in 
vain  to  calm  himself  for  the  opening  service.  At  length  he 
arose,  and  said  :  "  Brethren,  I  cannot  preach  to  you  to-day,  you 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       409 

must  preach  to  me.  Let  this  be  a  meeting  of  conference  and 
prayer,  in  which  all  shall  feel  free  to  express  their  thoughts 
and  feelings.  Deacon  Briggs,  will  you  open  the  services  by 
reading  a  chapter  from  the  word  of  God  1  " 

The  impressive  stillness  grew  more  intense  as  Deacon  Briggs 
stepped  forward  and  opened  the  Bible.  Did  unseen  fingers 
direct  his  choice  ?  He  opened  the  book  unwittingly,  and  said  : 
"  Let  us  read  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  first  Epistle  of  John — 
•'  Beloved,  believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try  the  spirits  whether 
they  are  of  God :  because  many  false  prophets  are  gone  out 
into  the  world.  Hereby  know  ye  the  Spirit  of  God  :  Every 
spirit  that  confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  is 
of  God  :  and  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  not  of  God :  and  this  is  that  spirit  of 
anti-Christ  whereof  ye  have  heard  that  it  should  come ;  and 
even  now  already  it  is  in  the  world.' "  Deacon  Briggs  paused. 
The  last  sentence  had  arrested  the  current  of  his  thoughts  as 
effectually  as  though  an  audible  voice  from  heaven.  He  re-read 
it:  'And  this  is  that  spirit  of  anti-Christ  whereof  ye  have 
heard.'  He  then  went  back  and  re-read  the  whole  verse,  and 
the  effect,  like  an  electric  thrill,  permeated  from  heart  to  heart. 
He  closed  the  book,  and  said  with  an  agitated  voice :  "  I  must 
confess  to  you,  my  brethren,  I  have  been  guilty  of  giving  a 
meaning  to  this  term  to  suit  my  own  self-righteous  heart.  And 
I  thought  I  was  right,  because  I  read  it  in  a  work  from  one  of 
our  most  prominent  men.  But  who  is  anti-Christ?  It  is  he 
'that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ'  —  it  is  he  'who 
denieth  the  Father  and  the  Son.'  0,  my  brethren,  if  any  of 
you  have  been  guilty  with  me,  of  pointing  out  and  stigmatizing 
as  anti-Christ  any  part  of  God's  family  —  any  one  being  who 
confesseth  Jesus  Christ  before  men,  let  us  in  penitential  sorrow 
get  down  before  God;  for  we  have  egregiously  sinned  both 
against  God  and  our  fellow-man.  3Iy  brethren,  I  have  been 
guilty  of  calling  the  whole  world  anti-Christ — all  but  my  own 
35 


410  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

church  —  those  of  my  own  faith  and  order.     God  forgive  me, 
for  I  have  sinned." 

The  conscience-stricken  man  sank  into  a  seat,  and  covered 
his  face  with  his  hands.  Other  heads  drooped  with  similar 
feelings.  But  there  were  hearts  and  eyes  in  the  congregation 
which  were  lifted  up  to  God  exultingly  and  with  silent  thanks- 
giving. "  0  God,  thou  hast  heard  our  cries  and  hast  come 
down."  A  voice  at  length  broke  the  searching  stillness.  And 
strangely  sweet,  after  such  a  silence,  did  it  sound.  Deacon 
Simms,  with  his  eyes  on  the  same  chapter,  read  :  "Beloved,  let 
us  love  one  another :  for  love  is  of  God ;  and  every  one  that 
loveth  is  born  of  God,  and  knoweth  God.  He  that  loveth  not, 
knoweth  not  God ;  for  God  is  love.  In  this  was  manifested  the 
love  of  God  toward  us,  because  that  God  sent  his  only  begotten 
Son  into  the  world,  that  we  might  live  through  him.  Herein 
is  love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  sent 
his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  Beloved,  if  God  so 
loved  us,  we  ought  also  to  love  one  another.  If  we  love  one 
another,  God  dwelleth  in  us,  and  his  love  is  perfected  in  us. 
Hereby  know  we  that  we  dwell  in  him,  and  he  in  us,  because 
he  hath  given  us  of  his  Spirit.  And  we  have  known  and  be- 
lieved the  love  that  God  hath  to  us.  God  is  love;  and  he  that 
dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him.  And  this 
commandment  have  we  from  him,  That  he  who  loveth  God 
loveth  his  brother  also."  Deacon  Simms  sat  down,  and  soon 
Was  heard  Anna's  clear  voice  flowing  out  feelingly  in  a  familiar 
melody : 

"Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds 

Our  hearts  in  Christian  love; 
The  fellowship  of  kindred  minds 

Is  like  to  that  above." 

"  Let  us  pray ; "  said  the  pastor,  spreading  out  his  hands  over 
the  people.  And  had  not  already  every  soul  felt  the  peculiar 
presence  of  God  in  the  assembly,  they  must  have  felt  it  ere  that 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  411 

prayer  was  ended.  All  hearts  filled  up  and  ran  over  with  emo- 
tions of  joy  and  penitential  grief;  and  as  these  extremes  met 
in  each  soul,  there  was  an  outbreaking  flood  of  tears.  Then 
followed  confessions,  exhortations  and  prayer,  glowing  with 
feeling,  and  mighty  with  power.  In  the  presence  of  God's 
Spirit  the  strong-hearted  were  melted  like  wax,  and  the  proud 
were  bowed  down  like  reeds  shaken  in  the  wind.  So  nearly 
was  this  Christian  communion  an  approach  to  a  foretaste  of 
heaven,  with  Jesus  the  center  of  all  thought,  that  though  the 
usual  hour  arrived  to  close,  they  seemed  neither  to  mark  the 
flight  of  time,  nor  feel  fatigue. 

"0  now  forever,  God  of  love, 
Let  strife  and  hatred  cease ; 
Let  every  heart  harmonious  move, 
And  every  thought  be  —  peace." 

"Peace  I  leave  with  you,  my  peace  I  give  unto  you;  not  as 
the  world  giveth,  give  I  unto  you."  This  is  the  voice  of  the 
Master  standing  in  the  midst. 

There  was  a  movement  near  the  door,  and  all  eyes  turned 
upon  one  who  said  :  "  I  have  to-day  witnessed  an  unusual  scene. 
Such  scenes  I  used  to  dream  of  when  reading  God's  word ;  and 
because  I  never  saw  them  —  because  I  never  saw  the  spirit  of 
love  exhibited  among  Christians,  I  first  came  to  doubt  if  all 
professing  Christians  were  not  hypocrites :  then  to  doubt  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,  and  finally  to  doubt  all  things.  But  to-day 
I  have  seen  God's  power  triumph  over  human  passions,  and  I 
know  and  feel  that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  God  is  here.  I  feel 
strange  and  irresistible  longings  in  my  heart !  It  is  Jesus  calling 
after  me,  and  I  am  resolved,  through  his  grace  strengthening 
me,  to  seek  the  salvation  of  my  soul ! " 

The  speaker  was  George  Clayton.  A  thrill  of  joy  shot  through 
the  father's  heart.  Anna,  too,  sent  up  a  prayer  of  thanksgiving 
and  praise — a  sister's  offering  for  a  brother's  conversion.    This 


412  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

was  but  the  spark  which  fired  the  train.  Others  followed,  and 
soon  it  was  seen  that  there  were  many  anxious  souls  crying  out : 
"  Lord,  save,  or  I  perish."  The  progress  of  the  revival  was 
uninterrupted.  Sinners  beheld  the  bleeding  sacrifice  upon  the 
cross  —  marked  the  justice  of  an  angry  Father — and  cried  out 
in  fear  lest  his  rod  smite  them  in  judgment.  A  risen  Savior 
gave  them  hope ;  and  when  they  heard  him  calling  after  them : 
"  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  weary  and  heavy-laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest  —  Take  my  yoke  upon  you  and  learn  of  me,  for  I  am 
meek  and  lowly  in  heart,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  to  your  souls : " 
then  they  were  won  by  love,  and  hastened  to  swell  the  ranks 
of  the  people  of  God. 

Scores  found  peace  in  believing.  Not  a  family  remained 
unvisited  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  young  and  the  aged  bowed 
alike  before  the  unseen  power.  And  had  our  ears  been  purged 
from  their  grossness,  we  might  have  heard  a  shout  resounding 
from  the  hilltops  like  that  which  startled  the  shepherds  on  the 
plains  of  Bethlehem  :  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  peace  on 
earth,  good  will  toward  men." 

Weeks  pass.  Again  a  Sabbath  dawns,  cheered  by  an  Autumn 
Bun.  There  is  something  peculiarly  impressive  in  the  solemn 
quiet  rest  of  a  Sabbath  in  Autumn.  The  sun  wheels  slowly 
through  a  dreamy  hazy  atmosphere,  with  the  fierceness  of  his 
glance  subdued.  The  earth,  with  forests  dressed  in  rainbow 
hues,  and  fields  in  brown,  lulls  the  air  to  silence  and  the  winds 
to  rest  —  no  sound,  no  motion  ! 

Whilst  we  were  engaged  in  thoughts  kindred  to  these,  the 
familiar  plaintive  sound  of  the  church-bell  spoke  of  other 
scenes.  And  as  we  watched  the  unrest  of  man,  the  rolling 
wheels,  the  gathering  feet,  all  tending  to  that  point  where 
called  the  bell ;  we  fancied  that  its  voice  of  iron  tongue,  cleav- 
ing with  quick  wing  the  slumbering  air,  had  waked  echoes  also 
in  the  court  of  heaven,  and  that  angels  entered  the  house  of 
God  along  with  the  sons  of  men.     And  do  you  wonder  why 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.      413 

angels  gathered  there  ?  We  read,  that  there  is  joy  in  heaven 
over  one  poor  soul  repentant ;  and  here  were  many,  "  clothed 
and  in  their  right  mind,"  about  to  put  on  Jesus  before  the 
scoffing  world.  We  glance  around  the  densely-crowded  courts, 
and  behold  they  have  come  up  as  one  man  to  unite  in  one  body 
as  a  church — a  union  in  which  all  members  of  Christ's  family 
will  have  a  home.  It  was  not  asked,  are  you  of  this  stripe,  or 
of  that  order  ?  but,  "  Do  you  acknowledge  the  Lord  Jehovah 
to  be  your  God,  the  object  of  your  supreme  love  —  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  your  all-sufficient  Savior,  your  only  Redeemer  — 
the  Holy  Ghost  your  Sanctifier  and  Comforter?  Do  you  with- 
out reserve  give  yourselves  away  to  God,  to  be  his  willing  ser- 
vants forever  ?  Do  you  covenant  to  observe  all  his  commands 
and  ordinances  in  the  closet,  in  the  family,  and  in  the  sanctuary, 
remembering  that  every  one  of  you  shall  give  an  account  of 
himself  unto  God  ? "  Around  this,  which  is  the  Christian's 
faith,  flocked  Christians  of  every  name,  henceforth  to  be  known 
only  as  Christians.  Pastor  and  People,  Excommunicators  and 
Excommunicated,  Immersionists,  Sprinklers,  and  Pourers,  all 
gathered  around  one  standard — the  CROSS;  recognizing  but 
one  standard-bearer  and  Master  —  Christ  Jesus.  It  was  a 
sight  well  worth  a  journey  from  heaven  to  witness !  May  this 
present  generation  witness  many  such  scenes  as  this ! 

"  Look !  there  is  a  familiar  face  in  the  pulpit,  which  carries 
us  back  in  remembrance  to  the  old  Academy  place,  and  to  the 
communion  season  there.  How  unlike  that  scene  is  this !  Yet 
we  can  trace  the  relation  of  cause  and  effect;  that  was  the 
sowing  of  the  good  seed,  and  this  but  the  harvest.  Glorious 
harvest  for  thee,  thou  faithful  laborer  in  thy  Master's  service ! 
Thy  God  hath  sent  thee  back  to  reap  !  Count  the  sheaves  as 
they  gather  around  the  altar,  and  say,  Is  it  not  enough  ?  Elder 
Clayton  was  there  also,  by  his  side,  and  assisted  in  the  duties 
of  the  day,  and  in  the  administering  of  the  ordinances. 

There  before  the  altar  stands  Anna,  with  a  face  radiant  with 
35* 


414  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

h°ty  j°y-  ^ary>  her  faithful  friend,  is  beside  her;  and  George 
too,  earnest  and  prayerful.  And  on  either  side,  gathered  with 
them,  are  children,  with  their  youthful  voices  just  tuned  to 
praise ;  young  men  and  women,  the  middle-aged,  and  the  old, 
with  eyes  dimmed  and  steps  tottering.  Does  it  not  gladden 
thy  heart,  thou  servant  of  the  mighty  God  ?  Go  on,  then, 
preaching  love,  the  burden  of  the  Gospel  of  peace;  love  — 
love  to  God,  and  love  to  man. 

When  they  were  all  gathered  around  him,  the  man  of  God 
opened  the  Bible,  and  read :  "  AVherefore  come  out  from  among 
them,  and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the 
unclean  thing;  and  I  will  receive  you,  and  will  be  a  Father 
unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the 
Lord  Almighty"  (2  Cor.  vi.  17,  18).  Then  he  administered 
unto  them  their  solemn  vows.  And  should  any  inquire  hoto 
they  were  baptized,  we  answer,  with  water,  before  the  altar,  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  And  as  his  hand  rested  on  Anna's  forehead,  he  said, 
in  the  language  of  Paul  (Titus  iii.  5-7)  :  "  Not  by  works  of 
righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy 
he  saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of 
the  Holy  Ghost;  which  he  shed  on  us  abundantly  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Savior;  that  being  justified  by  his  grace,  we 
should  be  made  heirs  according  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life." 
And  as  he  passed  back  to  the  pulpit,  he  said :  "Now  are  ye  one 
body  in  Christ  Jesus.  Ye  have  one  Lord,  even  your  God,  whom 
ye  have  this  day  acknowledged.  One  Spirit,  by  which  ye  grasp 
the  merits  of  a  risen  Savior.  One  baptism,  for  by  one  Spirit 
are  we  all  baptized  into  one  body,  whether  we  be  Jews  or  Gen- 
tiles, whether  we  be  bond  or  free ;  and  have  been  all  made  to 
drink  into  one  Spirit.  Behold  I"  he  continued,  in  the  language 
of  Scripture ;  "  '  One  body,  one  Spirit,  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and 


THE  INQUIRER  AFTER  TRUTH.       415 

through  all,  and  in  you  all.'  Bless  God  for  evermore  !  Amen 
and  amen." 

Then  were  uncovered  the  sacred  elements ;  and  he  who  min- 
istered in  God's  name,  casting  his  eyes  over  the  sea  of  faces 
moistened  with  tears,  exclaimed :  "  Jesus  saith,  I  am  the  bread 
of  life.  If  any  man  eat  this  bread,  he  shall  live  forever.  If 
any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink.  Whoso  eat- 
eth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life,  and  I  will 
raise  him  up  at  the  last  day."  Then  after  silently  breaking  the 
bread,  and  pouring  out  the  wine,  he  extended  his  hands  to- 
wards the  recently  warring  masses  before  him,  now  resolved 
into  one  by  the  power  of  love,  and  exclaimed  :  "  <  This  cup  of 
blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  blood 
of  Christ  ?  The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not  the  commu- 
nion of  the  body  of  Christ?'  0  beloved,  remember,  'We  being 
many,  are  one  bread  and  one  body ;  for  we  are  all  partakers  of 
that  one  bread'  "  (1  Cor.  x.  16,  17). 

What  a  precious  season  was  this  to  Christian  souls !  Should 
it  be  wondered  at  if  souls,  breathing  such  teachings  as  their 
native  air,  lose  their  fierceness,  and  no  longer  strive  about  words 
to  no  profit,  divided  often  by  nothing  but  a  name?  Would 
they  go  thence  telling  how  much  more  acceptable  to  God  they 
were  than  their  brethren  ?  How  much  more  they  will  be  re- 
warded for  their  works  of  righteousness  ?  theirs  being  more 
righteous  than  their  fellows,  all  works  but  theirs  to  be  burned 
and  suffer  loss  ?  Poor  self-righteous,  foolish  mortals !  You 
have  yet  to  learn  that  all  your  righteousness  is  as  filthy  rags ; 
and  that  every  trembling  repentant  soul  can  plead  enough  of 
the  righteousness  of  Christ  —  which  is  alone  acceptable  to  God 
—  to  be  justified  and  received  by  him;  and  you,  proud  as  you 
are,  can  do  no  more.  "Who  art  thou  that  judgest  another 
man's  servant?  To  his  own  Master  he  standeth  or  falleth ; 
yea,  he  shall  be  holpen  up,  for  God  is  able  to  make  him  stand." 
Go  thou,  remember  the  Pharisee  and  Publican,  and  which  of 


416  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

the  two  was  justified.  "Every  one  that  exalteth  himself  shall 
be  abased,  and  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." 

There  was  one  intensely  interested  spectator  of  these  scenes. 
We  saw  him  talking  with  Halley  before  service ;  and  although 
his  form  was  somewhat  bowed,  and  his  hair  grey,  yet  we  could 
see  that  their  features  were  cast  in  much  the  same  mould.  We 
noticed  also  his  eager  gaze  resting  on  Anna,  as  she  stood  before 
the  altar  paying  her  vows  to  God,  and  entering  into  solemn 
covenant  with  Jehovah.  "Anna,  come  this  way,"  said  Halley, 
as  they  passed  out  of  the  church  after  service.  She  was  sur- 
prised at  the  request,  and  more  still  at  the  direction  taken ;  but 
she  followed  on  unquestioningly  from  the  vestibule  to  a  side 
passage  which  opened  into  the  village  church-yard.  Standing 
underneath  a  whispering  pine  in  an  obscure  corner,  and  half 
leaning  on  a  marble  headstone,  was  an  aged  man  whom  they 
approached.  As  Anna's  eyes  first  rested  on  him,  she  paused, 
and  turning  deadly  pale,  looked  thoughts  she  dared  not  utter. 
Halley  only  replied  by  drawing  her  arm  within  his  own,  and 
leading  her  onward. 

"Anna,  your  father!  —  Father,  your  long-lost  child  !" 

"  0  God,  I  thank  thee  ! "  burst  from  the  full  hearts  of  both 
parent  and  daughter.  Anna  was  pressed  with  passionate  fond- 
ness to  a  father's  bosom,  in  whose  arms  she  had  not  rested  since 
a  little  prattling  child.  Tears,  such  as  strong  men  weep  when 
shaken  by  powerful  emotions,  dropped  slowly  from  the  old 
man's  furrowed  cheeks.  Tears  —  full,  bright  drops  —  dimmed 
Anna's  eyes;  but  hers  were  tears  of  unmixed  joy — his  wrung 
from  bitter  memories  which  obscured  the  present. 

"Anna,  my  child  !"  he  said  at  length,  when  he  had  suffi- 
ciently recovered  his  voice,  "you  remember  your  mother's 
death-bed;  tell  me  where  they  laid  her." 

Startled  by  this  forced  remembrance,  she  glanced  around  the 
obscure  corner,  up  at  the  overshadowing  pine,  down  then  at  a 
nameless  headstone ;  and  pointing  toward  a  flowing  vine  her 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  417 

own  hand  hail  planted,  exclaimed,  with  a  burst  of  tears  which 
told  how  grief  upheaves  the  soul  as  winds  the  ocean,  "  It  is 
there  they  laid  her,  dear  father ;  and  oh !  how  lonely  I  have 
been  since ! " 

For  fifteen  summers  had  the  grass  spread  its  velvet  softness 
over  that  cold  bosom  there  inhumed.  But  could  her  glad  spirit 
have  looked  down  from  those  bright  mansions  of  rest  provided 
for  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord,  upon  these  loved  ones  for  the 
first  time  met  here  to  weep  over  her  ashes,  methinks  she  would 
have  whispered  :  "  Weep  on,  yet  not  without  hope ;  '  for  they 
who  sow  in  tears  shall  reap  in  joy.'  Weep  on,  for  tears  shall 
unloosen  your  sorrows,  and  soon  we  shall  meet  where  no  tears 
are  known.  Each  humid  gem,  that  falls  wrung  out  with  holy 
sorrow,  by  angel  hands  is  gathered  ere  the  thirsty  clods  drink 
it,  and  thence  transplanted  into  heavenly  soil,  behold,  it  springs 
up  with  richest  bloom  and  sweetest  fragrance,  self-wreathed  in 
garlands  to  bedeck  your  brows  in  Paradise  ! " 

The  old  man — old  rather  from  grief  than  years — as  he  stood 
over  his  long-lost  partner's  grave,  lifted  up  his  hands  as  though 
in  benediction,  and  with  words  not  unmixed  with  tears,  feel- 
ingly exclaimed :  "  Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord 
from  henceforth ;  yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from 
their  labors.  Let  us  weep  no  more  now ;  she  is  at  rest.  Oh  ! 
you  know  not  what  a  load  of  sorrow  and  bitterness  it  has  lifted 
from  my  heart,  to  know  that  hers  is  not  a  dishonored  grave.  I 
bless  God  that  it  is  even  as  it  is.  Let  us  go  hence,  and  so  live 
that  we  may  meet  her  when  our  labors,  like  hers,  are  ended." 

"  I  am  thinking,"  said  Anna,  "  to  what  seraphic  stature  she 
has  already  grown.  Fifteen  years  of  expansion  in  heavenly 
air,  with  never  a  blight — truth  unmixed  with  error  as  her  daily 
food — and  all  these  earthly  fetters  cast  off  which  dwarf  us  here. 
0,  how  her  glad  spirit  must  reach  out,  and  reaching,  grasp 
more  and  more  of  the  fullness  of  God,  and  of  the  mysteries  of 
his  grace ! " 

2b 


418  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"  Yes,"  replied  Halley,  interruptedly  catching  the  glorious 
thought,  and  with  his  eyes  turned  toward  the  halo-begirded 
sun.  "  When  the  heavens  shall  be  roiled  together  as  a  scroll, 
and  this  proud  earth  flee  away  from  the  presence  of  its  Creator, 
and  thou  bright  sun  with  all  thy  splendor  shall  be  clothed  in 
sackcloth,  and  wander  amid  the  darkness  of  eternal  space,  seek- 
ing thy  funeral  urn  with  all  the  universe  of  God;  then  man's 
existence  shall  have  just  begun  !  Then  having  shaken  off  this 
mortal  clog  which  chained  his  spirit  down  to  earth,  without 
hindrance  more, 

'The  man  emerges  —  mounts  above  the  wreck, 
As  towering  flame  from  Nature's  funeral  pyre, 
And  vies  with  angels ! '  " 

"  Oh  !  how  glorious   that  will  be ! "  exclaimed  Anna.     "  I 

almost  long," she  paused,  and  then  added  in  the  language 

of  Paul :  "  For  I  am  in  a  strait  betwixt  two,  having  a  desire  to 
depart,  and  be  with  Christ,  which  is  far  better." 

"  Do  you  forget  the  work  to  which  you  have  devoted  your- 
self?" asked  Halley.     "Is  there  nothing  to  live  for?" 

"  Yes,  much  to  live  for.  A  work — a  glorious  work  lies  before 
every  one.  And  may  God  grant  that  Christ  may  be  magnified 
in  me,  whether  it  be  by  life  or  death.  '  For  to  me  to  live  is 
Christ,  but  —  to  die  is  gain.' " 

With  such  conversation  they  beguiled  the  way  homeward. 
Little  by  little  the  father  caught  the  outlines  of  the  great  and 
all-absorbing  thought  which  was  moulding  the  character  of  his 
daughter. 

"  Father,"  she  said,  pausing  on  the  brow  of  the  hill  within 
the  grateful  shade  of  an  overhanging  maple,  "  if  I  could  only 
live  to  see  the  strifes  and  discords  in  all  Christendom  healed, 
and  all  Christians  one  in  the  bonds  of  peace;  I  could  then, 
like  Simeon  of  old,  say :  '  Now  lettcst  thou  thy  servant  depart 
in  peace  ;  for  mine  eyes  hath  seen  thy  salvation/  " 

The  father  looked  with  surprise  at  the  young  girl  radiant  in 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER    TRUTH.  419 

the  first  freshness  of  womanhood,  marked  the  unconscious 
grace  of.  mien,  so  much  like  her  mother,  noticed  the  play  of 
the  wind  among  the  curls  that  kissed  her  brow,  heeded  the 
sanguine  joyousness  of  her  disposition,  and  the  brilliancy  of  her 
intelligent  speaking  eyes ;  he  observed  all  these,  and  more :  he 
regarded  with  admiration  the  sweet  and  holy  enthusiasm  of  her 
soul,  which  sparkled  and  shone  through  all  her  actions.  But 
we  would  not  attempt  to  unravel  the  secret  and  complicated 
workings  of  the  father's  heart  while  he  thus  gazed.  God  only 
knows  why  he,  like  many  others,  should  seek  to  dissuade  from 
laboring  for  an  object  which  he  professedly  longed  and  prayed 
for — but  so  it  was.  We  only  point  out  the  weakness,  and  say, 
God  pity  and  forgive ! 

"  It  is  well  enough,  my  daughter,  to  do  what  one  can,"  he 
said.  "  But  I  have  studied  the  human  heart  so  many  years 
that  I  begin  to  doubt  whether  this  can  ever  be  accomplished." 
"  Should  I  study  the  human  heart,  father,  I  too  might  doubt," 
replied  Anna ;  "  for  I  know  the  fruits  of  the  unrenewed  heart 
are  '  hatred,  variance,  wrath,  strife,  seditions,  and  heresies ;' 
but  in  the  power  of  God's  Spirit  I  trust;  and  just  as  surely  as 
there  is  a  God,  it  will  be  accomplished.  God  has  promised 
that  the  divisions  of  Zion  shall  be  healed,  and  that  there  shall 
be  a  reign  of  peace ;  l  when  the  Spirit  shall  be  poured  upon  us 
from  on  high,  and  the  wilderness  be  a  fruitful  field.  Then  shall 
judgment  dwell  in  the  wilderness,  and  righteousness  remain  in 
the  fruitful  field.  And  the  works  of  righteousness  shall  be 
peace,  and  the  effects  of  righteousness,  quietness  and  assurance 
forever.'  Yes,"  repeated  Anna,  "quietness  and  assurance  for 
ever.  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  and  he  will  accomplish  it.  I  rest 
my  faith  on  his  word,  not  doubtingly,  but  with  the  full  trust 
that  through  willing  instruments  he  will  work  out  this  end. 
Look  at  what  he  has  done  here  during  the  past  few  weeks ! 
Look  at  what  he  is  doing  everywhere,  and  say :  '  Watchman, 
what  of  the  night  ?     Is  there  no  promise  of  the  morning  ? ' " 


420  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

"  It  is  not  to  be  denied,  my  daughter,  that  there  is  a  won- 
derful change  in  this  respect.  Nor  can  it  be  doubted  that  there 
is,  to  some  degree,  a  feeling  of  unity  springing  up  among  the 
churches.  But  the  question  is,  will  it  ever  mould  them  into 
one?" 

"If  they  are  moulded  in  spirit,"  replied  Anna,  "it  matters 
but  little  by  what  names  they  may  choose  to  be  called ;  though 
it  would  scarce  be  wise,  perhaps,  to  keep  up  a  show  of  differ- 
ence where  none  existed.  Let  Christians  worship  together  in 
one  temple,  let  them  meet  around  one  mercy-seat,  and  bear  each 
other  up  on  wings  of  prayer,  let  them  meet  around  one  table 
to  commemorate  the  sufferings  of  their  dying  Lord,  let  them 
unite  in  their  efforts  for  good,  and  for  the  extension  of  religious 
teachings,  and  for  the  promotion  of  the  cause  of  their  common 
Master ;  then  they  will  irresistibly  flock  together  in  unity  and 
love.  There  will  not  only  be  a  spirit  of  unanimity,  but  of  uni- 
formity in  all  their  actions  and  teachings.  If  ministers  of  the 
Gospel  would  but  heed  the  admonition  of  Paul :  '  Of  these 
things  put  them  in  remembrance,  charging  them  before  the  Lord 
that  they  strive  not  about  words  to  no  "profit,  but  to  the  subvert- 
ing of  the  hearers ;'  how  the  work  would  spread  !  I  thank  God 
that  there  are  many  such  faithful  ministers  of  the  Gospel  now, 
and  they  are  rapidly  increasing.  There  are  some  stumbling- 
blocks  who  put  themselves  in  tbe  way,  not  only  by  withholding 
this  part  of  the  counsel  of  God,  but  also  by  preaching  sectarian- 
ism and  engendering  strifes,  and  embittering  party  feelings; 
but  if  they  persist,  they  may  expect  to  be  put  out  of  the  way  ; 
for  God's  power  is  in  the  movement,  and  the  masses  are  stirring." 
"  It  may  be  so,"  said  the  father,  musingly. 
Ilalley,  who  stood  watching  the  two  with  quiet  interest,  and 
seeing  that  an  impression  was  being  made  on  his  father's  mind, 
sought  to  deepen  it.  "In  many  country  places,"  he  said,  "  and 
also  in  villages,  and  large  towns  even,  there  are  Christians  of 
several  different  orders  intermingled  in  a  civil  and  social  ca- 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  421 

pacify,  who,  keeping  themselves  carefully  distinct  in  religious 
matters,  are  all  so  weak  as  scarcely  to  sustain  a  teacher  of  the 
commonest  kind ;  and  many  indeed  are  unable  to  do  even  this, 
and  so  they  dwindle  and  starve.  Sometimes  a  spirit  of  rivalry 
creeps  in  between  different  denominations,  and  they  lay  to  for 
church  edifices,  each  striving  to  build  the  largest  and  the  most 
expensive,  and  thereby  they  involve  themselves  beyond  their 
means  by  endeavoring  to  build  two  or  more  churches,  when  one 
were  large  enough  for  the  whole  community.  So  under  this 
pecuniary  incubus  self-placed  upon  their  shoulders,  they  are 
obliged  to  struggle  and  groan  for  years,  and  perhaps  lose  their 
building;  besides  suffering  more  or  less  disrupture,  if  not  an 
entire  breaking  up  of  their  church  organization  in  that  commu- 
nity. At  times,  a  considerable  number  of  Christians  will  re- 
main a  large  fraction,  if  not  the  whole,  of  their  lives  in  an  un- 
organized state,  overawed  by  a  stronger  growth  of  different 
orders  in  the  same  vicinity,  so  that  they,  discouraged,  aimless, 
and  almost  lifeless,  do  not  accomplish  anything  in  their  Master's 
service,  and  go  shrivelled  and  shamefaced  to  render  up  their 
accounts  to  God.  This  is  only  a  slight  glimpse  at  the  evils 
which  grow  out  of  these  divisions.  Could  I  tell  of  only  half 
the  hatred,  evil  speaking,  backbiting,  bitter  emulations,  anger, 
hopes  shipwrecked,  and  souls  lost  resulting  therefrom,  it  would 
fill  a  thousand  volumes,  and  make  the  blood  run  chill  with 
horror!" 

"And  all  this,"  said  Anna,  "is  done  in  the  name  of  Cod 
and  religion  !  But  the  immolation  of  human  sacrifices  on 
heathen  altars  is  more  excusable,  it  seems  to  me,  in  the  sight 
of  a  holy  Cod !  Yea,  I  would  rather  be  a  worshipper  of  heathen 
deities,  than  a  professing  Christian  wrapped  in  robes  of  self- 
righteousness,  and  sowing  seeds  of  discord  among  the  members 
of  God's  family !  '  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me,  Lord, 
Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'" 

"  I  know  this  is  all  true,"  said  the  father ;  "  I  only  hesitated 
36 


422  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

because  I  feared  it  was  useless  to  make  the  effort  to  remove  the 
evil." 

"  So  Moses  feared,"  replied  Anna,  "  when  God  told  him  to 
go  and  deliver  his  people  from  bondage.  He  was  sure  that 
nothing  could  be  done — at  least  that  he  could  do  nothing :  for- 
getting, indeed,  that  he  was  not  expected  to  lean  upon  an  arm 
of  flesh." 

"  You  are  right,  Anna,  my  daughter,  and  I  am  wrong.  I 
must  talk  with  you  again  about  this." 

"  I  am  sure  that  any  one  can  do  a  great  deal,  through  God 
strengthening  him,  if  his  heart  is  only  in  the  work;"  continued 
Anna. 

"  Yes,  my  daughter,  if  we  put  our  trust  in  God ;  but  if  we 
were  expected  to  work  in  our  own  strength,  I  am  certain  we 
could  accomplish  nothing." 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  continued  Anna,  her  face  still  glowing 
with  her  thoughts,  "  it  seems  to  me  that  God  has  provided  for 
his  servants  a  vast  armory,  and  bids  them  go,  choose  their  own 
weapons.  Some,  in  culpable  haste,  seize  only  a  beetle,  and  rush 
out  and  deal  blows  hither  and  yon,  knowing  not  to  what  pur- 
pose. Some  are  content  with  a  naked  sword  only,  wherewith 
they  cut  and  slash,  right  and  left,  mistaking  friends  for  foes, 
and  distinguishing  neither.  Others,  heeding  the  heavenly  ad- 
monitions and  counsels,  put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,  taking 
'  the  breast-plate  of  righteousness/  '  having  their  feet  shod  with 
the  preparation  of  the  gospel  of  peace,'  procuring  the  '  shield 
of  faith/  and  taking  the  '  helmet  of  salvation  and  the  sword 
of  the  Spirit/  they  are  rendered  strong  in  the  power  of  God's 
might,  and  become  puissant  in  courage  to  do,  and  in  fortitude 
to  bear." 

They  had  now  reached  the  porch,  where  Elder  Clayton  met 
them  with  a  hearty  welcome,  his  whole  face  glowing  with  the 
sunlight  of  love.  "I  welcome  you,"  he  said  as  the  Elder 
Halley  was  introduced ;  "  I  welcome  you  as  the  father  of  my 


THE     INQUIRER     AFT  E  R     T  R  U  T  IT  .  423 

precious  child.  Anna,  my  dear,  God  lias  blessed  you  as  you 
deserve ;  and  I  know  you  will  not  let  these  new  tics  of  filial 
and  fraternal  love  sever  the  old.  You  will,  I  know,  only  open 
your  heart  and  make  room  for  more.  0  what  a  Sabbath  !  What 
a  feast  we  have  had  to-day !  It  seemed  to  me  almost  like 
heaven  come  down  to  earth  ! " 

"  It  bodes  the  brightness  of  the  coming  time,  we  hope,"  said 
Halley. 

"  Yes,  yes,  it  has  been  the  happiest  day  of  my  life,"  said 
Elder  Clayton,  thoughtfully.  "  My  friend,"  he  continued,  ad- 
dressing Halley,  senior,  "you  should  have  attended  our  Union 
prayer  meetings  during  the  last  month.  God's  presence  has 
been  almost  visible,  and  his  Spirit  is  still  searching  out  the  im- 
penitent, and  bringing  them  in.  You  have  seen  the  result 
to-day  —  a  Union  church,  and  fifty-nine  souls,  lately  cleansed, 
added  to  its  members;  more  are  coming,  and  still  the  work 
goes  on.  My  soul  can  hardly  contain  itself  for  joy !  What 
now  to  me  are  all  the  little  differences  which  have  separated 
Christian  hearts  ?  They  are  as  nothing.  My  only  concern  now 
is  for  the  salvation  of  perishing  souls,  knowing  I  must  give  a 
strict  account  to  God  for  my  own  actions  only,  and  that  my 
brother  must  do  the  same.  Baptists,  Presbyterians,  Congrega- 
tionalists,  Methodists,  Episcopalians,  Lutherans,  etc.,  meet  now 
in  unanimity  to  worship  God  in  Spirit  and  in  truth.  Christ  is 
all,  and  in  all,  and  we  heed  the  warning  of  the  Apostle :  '  Let 
the  peace  of  God  dwell  in  your  hearts,  to  the  which  also  ye  are 
called  in  one  body;  and  be  ye  thankful.'  Yes,  we  are  thankful, 
and  we  bless  God  for  it." 

"But  are  you  not  afraid  these  prejudices  will  spring  up 
again  ?  "  asked  the  elder  Halley.  "  I  always  thought  them  ex- 
ceedingly hard  to  uproot.  You  know  that  revival  seasons, 
precious  as  they  are,  will  pass  over,  and  then  different  feelings 
come  up;  we  get' cold  and  worldly,  and  shortly  discover  that 
everybody  else  is  going  wrong  but  ourselves." 


424  ANNA    CLAYTON;    OR, 

"I  see  no  necessity  of  this,"  said  Elder  Clayton,  in  reply. 
"  Avoid  the  cause,  and  we  avoid  the  effect.  I  think  we  have 
here  raised  an  impassable  embankment  against  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  adversary.  We  now  labor  and  pray  together ;  our 
interests  and  our  aims  are  identical,  we  have  nothing  left  to 
contend  about." 

"  I  think  the  main  difficulty ,"  said  Halley,  the  younger,  '  lies 
not  in  the  masses,  but  in  the  Gospel  teachers,  falsely  so  called ; 
for  they  have  not  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel  in  their  hearts.  I 
never  yet  heard  of  a  serious  contention  in  a  Christian  commu- 
nity, but  it  was  begun,  and  afterward  fanned  and  fed,  by  a  man 
who  thought  God  had  called  him  to  preach,  not  the  Gospel  of 
peace,  but  sectarian  creeds." 

"  We  are  told,"  said  Anna,  musingly,  "  that  the  fruit  of  the 
Spirit  is  first  righteousness,  and  then  peace ;  and  that  '  all  the 
law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word — in  this,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself.  But  if  ye  bite  and  devour  one  another,  take 
heed  that  ye  be  not  consumed  one  of  another ' "  (Eph.  v.  14, 15). 

"  How  much  there  is  in  the  word  of  God  on  this  subject," 
said  Elder  Clayton.  "Why,  it  underlies  almost  every  thought, 
on  every  page.  God  knew  how  difficult  it  would  be  for  us  to 
practise  this ;  and  as  though  determined  to  arrest  our  attention 
and  enforce  its  peculiar  importance  in  the  system  of  grace,  he 
accompanied  it  with  thrcatcnings  and  promises,  with  admoni- 
tions and  reproofs,  thus  making  it  all  things  to  all  men,  that  it 
might  not  fail  to  reach  some." 

"  I  do'nt  know  but  this  is  true,"  said  the  elder  Halley ;  "  and 
if  it  is,  the  Christian  world  has  been  strangely  blind  and  slow 
to  learn." 

"  Yes,  but  I  can't  so  much  wonder,"  replied  Elder  Clayton, 
"or,  at  least,  it  ill  becomes  me  to  condemn,  when  I  remember 
that  for  twenty  years  that  part  of  the  word  of  God  was  sealed 
to  me.  I  had  not  the  slightest  conception  of  its  existence  —  I 
was  a  blind  leader  of  the  blind.     Now  it  meets  my  eyes  every- 


THE    INQUIRER    AFTER    TRUTH.  425 

where.  Love  —  love  to  God  and  love  to  man.  I  hear  angels 
hymning  it  when  on  errands  of  mercy  to  this  fallen  world.  I 
hear  the  Psalmist  singing  it,  holy  prophets  repeating  it,  and 
Jehovah  proclaiming  it  amid  the  thunders  of  Sinai,  with  a  voice 
that  shakes  the  earth  and  heavens.  Jesus,  the  Eternal  Son  of 
the  Father,  came  to  teach,  by  his  own  example,  how  to  love  one 
another;  and  his  twelve  Apostles  taught  everywhere,  saying: 
'  This  commandment  have  we  from  him,  That  he  who  loveth 
God  loveth  his  brother  also."' 

a  Paul  repeated  it  so  many  times,"  said  Anna,  "  that  he 
seemed  half-inclined  to  leave  it  out  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Thessa- 
lonians,  knowing  that  they  were  more  given  to  love.  I  fancy 
he  paused  and  looked  up  questioningly,  when  the  Spirit  whis- 
pered, '  Write,  there  is  no  danger  of  repeating  it  too  often ; '  and 
so  he  added  :  '  But  as  touching  brotherly-love  ye  need  not  that 
I  write  unto  you  :  for  ye  yourselves  are  taught  of  God  to  love 
one  another.  And  indeed  ye  do  it  toward  all  the  brethren 
which  are  in  Macedonia ;  but  we  beseech  you,  brethren,  that 
ye  increase  more  and  more/  He  seemed  to  have  no  fears  that 
they  could  love  too  much ;  and  whilst  commending  them  for 
what  they  already  exercised,  bade  them  increase  more  and  more 
in  love  toward — not  the  brethren  of  their  own  church  simply, 
or  those  of  Macedonia  only,  for  which  love  he  had  just  ap- 
plauded them,  but — all  the  brethren  of  whatever  name,  and 
wherever  dwelling  throughout  the  wide  world.  I  do'nt  believe 
they  ever  contended  about  mere  forms  and  non-essentials  to  that 
degree,  that  they  gave  loose  rein  to  their  evil  passions  and  de- 
nounced those  differing  from  them  only  in  such,  as  '  impious,' 
'  servants  of  the  devil,'  as  committing  '  sacrilege  before  high 
heaven,'  as  '  anti-Christ,'  etc.  Not  only  withholding  church- 
fellowship,  but  also  refusing  church  recognition;  denouncing 
their  ordinances  as  '  solemn  mockeries,'  their  ministers  as 
having  '  no  ministerial  character,'  and  denying  that  they  should 
be  so  '  recognized  by  admittance  into  the  pulpit '  even  !  And 
36* 


426  ANNA    CLAYTON;     OR, 

then,  as  in  a  paroxysm  of  sectarian  frenzy,  and  as  though 
summing  up  the  whole  category  of  evils,  throw  all  Christendom 
who  differed  on  any  point  from  themselves,  into  '  Mystical 
Babylon!'" 

"0,  Anna!  Anna;  do'nt  recall  those  wicked  remarks,  they 
are  like  the  recollections  of  a  horrid  dream!"  exclaimed  Elder 
Clayton,  as  he  turned  away  with  a  look  of  real  pain.  There 
followed  a  season  of  silence,  during  which  each  one  was  forcibly 
impressed,  as  he  recalled  the  past,  with  the  contrast  between 
the  works  of  love  and  of  hate. 

At  length  dinner  was  announced,  after  which,  Elder  Clayton 
said  :  "  Come,  my  friends,  let  us  change  the  scene ;  it  is  time 
for  the  Union  Praj-er  Meeting." 

The  meeting  had  commenced  when  they  reached  the  church, 
and  a  song  of  praise  arising  from  devout  hearts,  was  ascending 
as  sweet  incense  before  God.  0,  what  power  there  is  in  song, 
when  it  bursts  as  the  spontaneous  language  of  human  hearts ! 
It  has  power  to  reach  other  hearts,  and  to  set  them  all  on  fire 
with  religious  ardor. 

"  0  Lord,  I  love  thy  service  now, 
Thy  church  displays  thy  power." 

There  were  familiar  faces  there  also,  whose  hearts  were  per- 
vaded with  a  spirit  of  brotherly  love  and  unity.  Father  Long 
wind's  heart  had  been  touched  by  the  Spirit  of  God's  love, 
and  Elder  Mason  and  Squire  Tanner  were  also  present,  to  stay 
Elder  Clayton's  hands  in  furthering  the  good  work.  Ere  the 
meeting  closed,  Halley,  the  elder,  resolved  to  go  home  and  to 
forward  more  earnestly  the  union  prayer  meeting  in  his  own 
village.  There  was  still  existing  much  sectarian  spirit  there, 
which  he  hoped  by  the  grace  of  God  to  be  able  to  overcome. 

"Anna,  my  child,"  he  said  on  the  morrow,  "you  will  go 
back  with  me;  and,  I  think  that  witb  you  and  Henry  to  aid 
me,  a  work  shall  be  accomplished  to  the  glory  of  Zion." 


THE     INQUIRER     AFTER     TRUTH.  427 

"Heaven  speed  the  work!"  said  Elder  Clayton,  "although 
it  robs  me  of  my  child.  Go,  and  God  be  with  you,  and  bless 
you!" 

When  all  Christian  hearts  are  thus  glowing  with  love  to  God 
and  man ;  then  soon  the  sombre  shade  of  wickedness,  error  and 
misery,  which  have  so  long  shrouded  the  earth,  shall  be  dissi- 
pated !  The  day-star  of  righteousness,  truth,  love,  and  peace, 
shall  be  ushered  in  as  the  glorious  harbinger  of  a  still  more 
glorious  morning  to  the  world ! — as  the  bright  refulgent  dawn- 
ing of  that  period  when  the  dark  corners  of  this  long-benighted 
earth  shall  be  illumined,  and  the  last  remnant  of  enervating 
delusion  dispelled. 

"And  see! 
'Tis  come,  the  glorious  morn !  the  second  birth ! 
And  earth  holds  jubilee!     Awaking  Nature  hears 
The  new-creating  'word,   and  starts  to  life!     She     ' 
Rises  in  ev'ry  heighten'd  form,  set  free  from 
Pain  and  death.     Then,  Love  and  Tkuth  o'ersweep 
All  woes,  all  tears,  all  time,  all  fears ;  and  sweet 
From  that  celestial  voice  the  music  flows, 
Proclaiming  to  our  heroes  blest  repose." 


THE    END. 


